Player Profile of the Best: Doug Knight

University of Virginia; All-American 1994, 1995, 1996

(from a recent interview by Great Atlantic Lacrosse)

Going to the cage, seemingly with reckless abandon, Knight's left-handed attack usually included flying through the air into the crease. Often he wound up in the cage himself but the ball got there first. A three sport star at Connecticut's Westminster School, Knight excelled in soccer and hockey in addition to lacrosse. At Virginia, he finished his career there with the most goals and points in school history. Knight now plays professional indoor lacrosse as a member of the Baltimore Thunder in addition to serving as an assistant coach at Virginia.

We recently had a chance to talk with Knight and ask a few questions about his game:

How did you get started in the game of lacrosse?
"In about sixth or seventh grade I started playing with some friends after school. It came time to choose a spring sport and I hadn't known about lacrosse on an organized level but all of my friends were playing it. So I tried it and loved it right way."

When did you first develop your airborne move to the cage?
"In high school the offensive coach for my team said I should try it since the way I was going in so recklessly I was going to get caught in the crease alot. He said I needed to leave my feet before I got there. It was pretty ugly when I first did it and it still might not look all that smooth but its gotten better over the years. I guess I wouldn't have played lacrosse much more it I hadn't started using that move."

Describe your most memorable moment and your most disappointing moment while playing at UVA.
"They were both in the same moment I guess, losing in the NCAA finals to Princeton in overtime in 1996. It was such an incredible time, we tied the game up and had the momentum going into overtime. Then it just collapsed, losing the faceoff and getting scored on right away."

Any advice to young players who want to play at the next level?
"Three things: respect the game, appreciate the game and have a passion for the game. Appreciate your parents and your coaches and the people who are trying to help you out. By respect the game I mean if you do score a classy goal, don't go celebrating it like you've never done it before. Act like you do it all the time, slap your teammates high fives and say nice pass to whoever got you the ball. Have a passion for the game by playing whenever you can. Before practice, after practice and as hard as you can all of the time."

Describe the transition going from the field game to the box game.
"Everything happens a lot quicker in the indoors box game. I make mistakes and I'll know the second I did that I've done something wrong. It's frustrating to make mistakes I wouldn't normally make outside. Its been a learning experience but its coming along a little bit. I'm concentrating right now on playing defense because that's just as important as offense in the box game. If you're a liability on the defensive end then maybe they can't have you on the offensive end either."

What do you see yourself doing in ten years?
"I might possibly be still coaching college but I think I'd like to be teaching and coaching at the prep school level. You can have a lot more impact on kid's lives when they're in high school than you can when they are in college."

34 Tips for Attackmen

27 Tips for Defensemen

Tips from Attackman: Jesse Hubbard

Defensive Tips from Tommy Smith

Face-Off Tips from Andy Towers

Goalie Tips from Billy Daye

Doug Knight
University of Virginia
All-American 1994, 1995, 1996

Michael Watson
University of Virginia
All-American 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997

Casey Powell
Syracuse University
All-American 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998