Like TWHS lacrosse, Dikmanis is all class

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- Over the years, much has been written about the quality of coaching The Woodlands High School lacrosse program has enjoyed. Head coaches from the beginning to include Mike Campbell, Dave Seale, Keith Tintle/Al Christopher (present Co-Head Coaches) have combined to help their respective teams win over 85% of their games going back to the program's inception in 1997.

Of course, winning is not the only item that is important in sports. Winning is important but there are more important qualities that must exist or the winning means nothing. Of these qualities, character and sportsmanship are at the top of the list. If those two exist, then you have an organization that operates with class.

Whether you play lacrosse, football, volleyball, track/cross country or any sport, if you play with class the wins will follow. For The Woodlands lacrosse, class is ever-present so the wins come in droves.

For the 2015 spring lacrosse season, the organization hired its fifth varsity head coach in team history by hiring Andris Dikmanis to take over The Woodlands D2 team. The Woodlands has D1, D2 and JV programs. The D2 team exists so athletes from surrounding schools that do not offer lacrosse, can play this great game. Unfortunately, athletes from these surrounding schools can not play D1. If this rule didn't exist, winning a state championship would be more about who can recruit better, and less about the athletes that actually walk the halls of the school.

As you'll read about, Dikmanis's lacrosse background is very impressive. However, what is more impressive is what is most important to him which is the well being of his players and how much extra time he devotes to help mold their futures.

Meet Andris Dikmanis in this week's Woodlands Online Profile of the Week...

Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Port Washington, NY on the north shore of Long Island.

What sports have you played through your childhood?
Growing up, I played all sports. In elementary school, I played soccer, football, volleyball and baseball. I always wanted to be on a team. As I started playing sports more competitively in middle school, my focus transitioned to Football, Volleyball and a new sport for me, Lacrosse.

Why did lacrosse turn out to be your main sport?
I always looked up to my cousin who is four years older than me. He was a talented athlete and was very successful as a soccer player so when he started playing lacrosse midway through his high school career and eventually ended up playing and earning All- American Honors as a close defenseman at Towson State (Towson University), it made quite an impression on me. His pursuit and success in the sport drove me to convert from baseball to lacrosse. Eventually, I found myself practicing every day to become better and more confident as a player. I still continued to participate on the school football team, and attempted to continue to play volleyball at the club level, but the passion I had for lacrosse eventually made me have to choose the sport over all the others.

You coach a college team, high school team, club teams, have a full time job, have a growing business, teach full time and are married. How do you manage to fit it all in?
Yes. I am a very busy man. I am currently the Head Coach for the University of Houston Mens Lacrosse program and The Woodlands DII HS lacrosse team. Additionally, I work as a full time teacher in Houston and cofounder of PROPOCKET LACROSSE LLC, a grassroots custom stringing and lacrosse shaft company. I also run a high school summer travel team based out of the Woodlands (Houston Sidewinders). With all that being said, time management is very crucial. I have a wonderful wife that knows that lacrosse is my life’s passion and that eventually I will have to reduce my commitments once our family starts to grow. Currently, my goal is to pass on my knowledge and passion of the sport that made me the person I am today.

Recently, yourself and C0-D1 Head Coach Al Christopher took a team to the east coast right around where you grew up. You put the team in the top bracket against teams that on paper were far superior to yours. Why?
This summer the Houston Sidewinder (all Woodlands based players) team travelled to Long Island to participate in the Warrior Long Island Lacrosse Classic hosted by my alma matter, Hofstra University. As a NCAA Division I player and native Long Islander, I know what it means to play against the best players in the sport. My high school team played the top 10-15 teams in the nation on an annual basis. Our next town rival, Manhasset High School, is considered to be one of the most successful programs in the country. The Houston Sidewinder’s trip to the northeast was designed to expose our talented Texas athletes to the best lacrosse in the country. Regardless of the wins and losses, the overall trip was a great success. Our fist scrimmage was against Manhasset High School’s nationally ranked varsity team and it was a humbling reminder of what the competition will be like if our boys choose to play in college. During the tournament we played teams from all over the northeast. We showed great success in some aspects of the game, but additionally showed how much better we can become. One phrase that still sticks in my mind from college came from my head coach, John Danowski (current Duke University head coach): “If you want to be the best you have to beat the best.”

Since you’ve started coaching at The Woodlands, you've become the impromptu college placement coordinator and have helped and are helping students prolong their lacrosse careers by finding good fits for them. What’s your motivation?
As a player that has gone through the process of finding a good fit on a Divison I team alone, I am anxious to save my players from the headaches and frustration that can come with the recruiting process. Many kids choose schools based on popularity and media hype, and that rarely makes for a good fit. As a college lacrosse player, your team is your fraternity and your family on campus. If the personality of the program doesn’t match your personality, it is hard to be successful academically and athletically. I found this out the hard way, but I was able to transfer to more supportive surroundings at Hofstra. I hope that I can help my players learn from my experience.

Do you have advice for young players who want to play college lacrosse?
Know that playing college lacrosse is a full-time job. Regardless of scholarship money, recruiting status or if you are a walk-on player, you will be expected to treat your team responsibilities like a career. Every coach will demand 110% of your time and effort, and that is in addition to your classroom requirements. Bond with your teammates because they will be your lifeline and your network for the rest of your life.
The effort you put in now, both on and off the field athletically and academically, are crucial to succeeding in college. College lacrosse players are not made in college, they are molded years before they ever step into a college locker room.
The best players I’ve known didn’t just play lacrosse growing up, they ate, slept, and breathed it! After our scrimmage at Manhasset High School, we all noticed three middle-school-aged boys practicing by themselves (no coaches, no parents) at 9pm on a Thursday night. Those boys under the lights are your next Division I lacrosse players.

Describe why you enjoy coaching in the twhs lax program:
I love how these boys love to play lacrosse and how eager they are to learn and improve. I see myself and my own experiences in their joy for the game, their friendships and the support of their parents and families.

Describe the support you receive from your wife:
Honestly, it would be impossible to give that description in one paragraph but I'll give it a shot. My wife, Erin, and I have always supported each others goals unconditionally. We have known each other since high school and have been together for over 14 years, so she has always known how important lacrosse is to my life – now, our life. We both believe that anything worth achieving takes a lot of hard work and sacrifice. Just one example: the week before we got married, she got a job that would take us from New York to Texas. She knew that I would fully support her career and move to Texas, and I know that she would do the same for me.

Your personal goals for the future:
We love the Woodlands area and are looking forward to starting our own family here. I hope to one day coach my own kids in the Woodlands. For the program, I think the sky is the limit as far as their potential. I definitely think a state championship is in our near future, and I want the Woodlands lacrosse program to be recognized nationally as a powerhouse of lacrosse in the south.

Al Christopher offered his thoughts on Dikmanis...

"We are very fortunate to have Andris on board. We pride ourselves on having these kids backs before anything else. These young athletes mean everything to us and Andris is all over that. Not just on the field either because helps them with their futures and they all know they can knock on his door 24/7. As far as his lacrosse credentials, you can put his up to anyone who coaches in Texas. His energy is contagious and his connections to coaches at the next level are unbelievable. Coach D has been an incredible addition to our program."

In covering a D2 game this past spring, Coach D's players were playing a bit lethargically. He called a time-out, gathered his players in and stressed to focus on the basic mechanics and perform like he knew they could. I could tell he was a bit put off with the lack of effort but he wasn't irate. Sure enough, the players started getting it together and pulled out a game they knew they should win. The post game speech was about how no matter who you are playing, you can't assume you'll win just by showing up. That's coaching!

One other huge plus that exists in Dikmanis's coaching style is he NEVER embarrasses his players. I'm sure you've seen coaches in all sports at all levels take it personally when their players aren't performing well. This type coach yells out what the player did wrong for all to hear to assure that all who are watching know it is not a coaching issue. Coach D knows that athletes are human and is more into encouraging them than how people perceive his coaching.

The Woodlands lacrosse hopes to continue their winning ways on and off the field far into the future. They can help their cause by continuing to win the lottery with their obvious success at hiring coaches.

One thing's for sure, they have hit the jackpot with Andris Dikmanis.