Demaio/TWHS Lacrosse-A winning combination

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- The Woodland High School lacrosse coach, Anthony Demaio, has been at it for going on five years, and there hasn’t been a local article featuring him in that time.

Why? He has led the team to the Final 4 every year he has been here. His players and team parents can’t say enough good about him.

Well, better late than never. At the high school level, to be a successful coach, you have to be able to bridge the gap between yourself and your players. It is of paramount importance to understand individual learning styles and to realize that some old school coaching does not blend with modern athletes. It used to be that you could coach every player the same with the sole goal being a championship. Developing personal relationships with your players wasn’t as important as it is today.

Coaches do need to develop personal relationships with today’s young athletes. Sometimes, it is less about X’s and O’s and more about the human side of the coach/player relationship.

The players need to know you care before they will go 100% for you. Once you earn their trust, they’ll be more in tune to your game strategies and they’ll go through walls for you.

What is impressive about Coach Demaio is he has been able to be successful being close in age to his players.

Let’s find out how he has had such success at The Woodlands High School while still in his 20’s, in this week’s Woodlands Online Q&A…

What sports did you play in your childhood? You took lacrosse to the college level and then pro. Did you ever want to take any of the other sports to the next level? Why did lacrosse win out?

Growing up in Boston, Massachusetts, hockey was actually my number-one sport. I played lacrosse in the offseason, and my dad played both hockey and lacrosse at Springfield College, so I grew up with a background in both sports. I also played football growing up.

When my family moved to California in seventh grade, lacrosse really began to take over. It became more difficult to continue playing hockey at the level I would have needed to reach the collegiate level, while lacrosse continued to provide more opportunities. That’s really when my lacrosse path started to take shape.

Even though lacrosse ultimately became my primary sport, I always encourage young athletes to play multiple sports. I think the experiences, skills and lessons you gain from different sports make you a better athlete and, more importantly, a better teammate.

You have lived in Maryland, Massachusetts, California and Texas. Can you describe the difference in high school lacrosse at each location?

It has been an incredible experience to see the game from different perspectives in each of those areas. Each place has its own culture and approach to lacrosse, and being exposed to all of them has shaped the way I coach.

Massachusetts is probably the furthest ahead in terms of the number of kids playing and the overall depth and skill level of the talent pool. Maryland obviously has an incredible lacrosse tradition and a very deep understanding of the game.

California has done a great job growing the sport and creating opportunities, and Texas is really exciting because of how much room there is for growth. That’s a big reason I came to Texas. I wanted to help grow the game and be part of building Texas into a true lacrosse powerhouse.

We are already seeing that growth with more players committing to play at the next level, and I think the ceiling for Texas lacrosse is extremely high.

What is the greatest lesson you’ve learned in your time playing and coaching lacrosse?

The greatest lesson I’ve learned is the power of a team.

There is something special about working together and being part of something that is bigger than yourself. Some of the greatest honors and memories I’ve had in my life have come from being part of a team and knowing that my teammates were counting on me.

There is also a tremendous amount of accountability that comes with being part of a team. You don’t want to let your teammates down. That responsibility teaches you how to be dependable, how to handle adversity and how to put something bigger than yourself first. Those lessons have carried over far beyond the lacrosse field.

Your father is a lifelong coach. What have you learned from him in regard to playing and coaching?

My dad taught me the game of lacrosse, and he was tough on me. Looking back, I couldn’t be more thankful for that. He pushed me to become better, both on and off the field.

I’ve learned a lot from him, but the biggest thing I’ve taken from him is his ability to get the most out of every player. He does that by building genuine relationships with his players and understanding what each individual needs.

He also taught me that it’s okay to let players fail. Sometimes you have to allow a player to make a mistake so they can learn from it and grow. He is extremely patient with his players, and that is something that has helped me mature tremendously as a coach.

We still talk about coaching, leadership and teamwork every week to this day, so his influence on me continues to grow.

In observing you give lessons to kids ranging in age from seven to eighteen, you are excellent at developing players. Why do you think you are successful at it?

I think a big part of it is my ability to relate to players.

Not too long ago, I was in their shoes. I understand what it feels like to be a young athlete, to struggle with something, to make mistakes and to try to figure out what it takes to get to the next level.

I’ve made plenty of mistakes throughout my playing career, and I’ve learned from those experiences. Now I can use those lessons to help my players avoid some of the same mistakes and give them a better path forward.

I also believe every player is different. Development isn’t about coaching everyone the exact same way. It’s about understanding the individual, building a relationship with them and figuring out what motivates them and what they need to improve.

In coaching The Woodlands going on five years now, you have had much success making it to championship weekend every year. What can you do better?

I think the biggest area we can continue to improve is our depth.

Every year, I try to step back and honestly evaluate the program and ask, “What can we do better?” I believe strengthening our youth program and creating more buy-in from our younger players is the next step for us.

The goal is to build a program where players are developing at every level and are excited about eventually becoming part of the high school program. If we can strengthen that foundation at a younger age, it will ultimately make our high school team deeper and stronger.

Success at the high school level is important, but I think building the entire program is even more important for long-term success.

The best high school teams in Texas have one thing in common. The high school coach is in charge of every level, K-12, in their respective feeder zones. Why do you feel that is important?

This is a huge part of what we are trying to build at The Woodlands.

I believe in one curriculum, one standard and one staff all working toward the same goal. That creates consistency for our players and allows them to develop within the same system from a young age through high school.

We want to give our players the same type of experience that we had — both on and off the field — while creating a strong sense of community throughout the program.

One of the most exciting parts is having our high school players work with our younger players. It gives the younger kids role models to look up to and something to aspire to. At the same time, it teaches our older players leadership and responsibility.

Ultimately, I believe a true K-12 program creates a stronger community, better player development and a stronger overall program.

For parents that are enrolling their children in lacrosse in The Woodlands, what would you like them to know about you?

I want parents to know that we are going to push their student-athlete to become the best version of themselves.

We are going to hold them accountable and expect a lot from them, but we are also going to care about them as people. We want to build relationships with our players and be there for them through whatever they may be going through.

At the end of the day, I want our players to love coming to the field. They are going to work hard, get better and be challenged, but they are also going to have fun and feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves.

Our goal is to develop great lacrosse players, but more importantly, great young men and women.

Who is your sports role model? It doesn’t have to be lacrosse related.

Tom Brady. And yes, I’m a Patriots fan.

What I admire most about Tom Brady is his dedication to mastering his craft and his commitment to putting the team first. He was constantly looking for ways to improve and prepare, regardless of how much success he had already achieved.

I also admire the way he prepared physically and mentally, took care of his body and approached leadership. He understood that being a great leader wasn’t just about his own performance — it was about making everyone around him better.

I’ve read a lot about his career and preparation, and there are a lot of lessons from the way he approached his profession that I try to apply to my own coaching.

Three things people don’t know about you.

1. I’m the oldest of six kids — I have one younger brother and four younger sisters. Growing up in a big family taught me a lot about responsibility, leadership and looking out for other people.
2. I played hockey growing up and it was actually my first love in sports. Lacrosse started as my offseason sport before eventually becoming my primary sport.
3. I’m a big Boston sports fan. Growing up in Boston, sports were a huge part of my family and my childhood, and that passion has stayed with me.

Your life has hit rock-bottom and you can’t see it changing anytime soon. Who is your first phone call to?

Definitely my mom. She’s my rock.

I’m the oldest of six kids, and she has always been there for me whenever I’ve needed her. She is one of the most selfless people I know and has made countless sacrifices for my siblings and me so that we could have opportunities to succeed.

No matter what is going on, I know I can call her. She has always been someone I can lean on, and that relationship means a tremendous amount to me.

What is your greatest sports memory?

Winning the 2022 National Championship at Maryland in Hartford, Connecticut.

Being able to win a national championship with my teammates was an incredible experience, and personally having four goals and an assist in the game made it even more special.

But what I remember most is being part of that team and experiencing that moment together. All of the work, sacrifices and time we had put in throughout the season came down to that game, and being able to celebrate a national championship with my teammates is something I’ll never forget.

The Woodlands High School lacrosse program was initiated in 1995 with a varsity schedule starting in 1997. In order to be a successful organization, you want to see improvement every year.

This just in, TWHS lacrosse is as strong as it’s ever been!

The leader of the organization is rock solid in that he’s an excellent role model and stellar coach.

The great news is he’s an even better person than he’s a coach. That speaks volumes for the organization…even if he is a Patriots fan.