Home / Featured / Interviews-Drills / Podcast: Paul Cantabene, Stevenson
Regarded as one of the greatest players and hardest workers in the game’s history, Paul Cantabene returned for his eight season as the head men’s lacrosse coach at Stevenson in 2012. Using the same work ethic and ability that made him one of the greatest face-off specialists of all-time, he has built Stevenson into one of the elite programs in Division III.
Getting to the tournament is hard enough, but the Mustangs have now reached the DIII Semi Finals in three out of the last four years. And I believe his overall record as a Head Coach is now 115-35, pretty impressive considering their schedule. For example facing both Cortland this year and Salisbury three times this year.
During that time, the Mustangs have appeared in five conference championship games, made two appearances in the NCAA Division III Men’s Lacrosse Championship, won its first conference title in 2010 and an ECAC championship in 2006.
A long-time assistant coach at the Division I level, Cantabene spent nine combined seasons at Maryland, Towson and Johns Hopkins before coming to Stevenson. During his two seasons at College Park in 2003 and 2004, he served as an assistant under Dave Cottle for whom he played for at Loyola.
Before Maryland, Cantabene spent four seasons as the offensive coordinator at Towson from 1999-2002 under head coach Tony Seaman under whom he worked for at Johns Hopkins from 1996-98.
Prior to Towson, Cantabene served as the midfield coach at John Hopkins where he helped the Blue Jays to a 41-15 record and three consecutive berths in the NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championship, including a semifinal appearance in 1998.
Ironically, Cantabene began his coaching career in Owings Mills at The McDonough School where he spent two seasons as the offensive coordinator in 1994 and 1995, highlighted by a victory over Gilman, the No. 1-ranked team in the MIAA in 1995.
A 1993 graduate of Loyola (Md.) with a bachelor of arts degree in communications and advertising, Cantabene was a second team All-America selection at midfield as a senior. He was also named team MVP and selected to the North-South All-Star Game in 2003 after leading the Greyhounds to the NCAA quarterfinals, the last of four consecutive NCAA championship appearances.
In the indoor game, Cantabene played 11 seasons in the National Lacrosse League from 1994-2004 with the Baltimore Thunder, Pittsburgh Crossefire, Washington Power and Philadelphia Wings. He finished his career with a 55.8 face-off percentage, winning 982-of-1759 in regular-season play while recording 859 loose balls, 107 goals, 184 assists and 291 points in 114 games.
A three-time NLL All-Star and 1999 All-Star Game MVP, Cantabene is still ranked fourth in face-offs won. He was also selected as the Thunder’s team MVP and Rookie of the Year.
Cantabene began his outdoor career in Major League Lacrosse when he was drafted in the seventh round of the 2001 MLL Inaugural Draft by the Baltimore Bayhawks. In six seasons with the Bayhawks and Philadelphia Barrage from 2001-06, he played in five championships, winning three in 2002, 2004 and 2005.
In addition, he was a five-time All-Star, two-time All-MLL selection and recipient of the SoBe Iron Lizard award in 2002.
On Aug. 21, 2010, Cantabene was named to MLL’s 10-Year Anniversary Team, recognizing the greatest players of the previous decade at each position. Furthermore, Lacrosse Magazine named Cantabene as one of the top 10 players in the history of the MLL in its August 2008 issue.
He is the owner of Old School Lacrosse Camps (www.oldschoollacrosse.com) as well as the Baltimore Hawks Lacrosse Club.
He has served as an assistant coach on the U.S. National Team while also serving as a member of the Division III All-American Committee and chair person for the U.S. Lacrosse National Convention speaker process.
In the awesome full-length interview for the Premium Members, Coach gives great insight on a number of areas including, a culture of transition, the basic structure of their practices, “How to Teach” without slowing down your practice!, great new stuff on 4V4, 1V1’s, the ‘Check Up Drill”, the “Paulis Drill”, Line Drills, and his Pre-game Drills philosophy…
He is the owner of Old School Lacrosse Camps (www.oldschoollacrosse.com) we have them highly recommended…
In the podcast preview below … (for all free members) coach covers a unique drill that is awesome for recognition, ground balls and conditioning, and better yet we can run it with a high-school-sized roster…. The “Check Up Drill”
Audio Preview, ‘The Check Up Drill from Coach Cantabene from Stevenson… This is for all Free Members simply log in…
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The full podcast with a ton of ideas and drills is available for our Premium Members…
