The Chronicle
MONTCLAIR, N.J. — August 7 is a stereotypical New Jersey day—cold, overcast, and raining. On this day, a few hundred people brave the ominous skies and make the trek into the heart of suburban New Jersey—Montclair State University—to witness the hometown New Jersey Pride take on the visiting Rochester (N.Y.) Rattlers in the penultimate matchup of the Major League Lacrosse season.
They are drawn to this tiny outpost of the sporting world for a variety of reasons. Many are friends and families of the players, and many are members of various junior and high school teams. Some are attracted by the low ticket prices, ($10 for individual games, $5 per game for season tickets) and others are tempted by the free T-shirt and cap giveaways that accompany each contest.
It is at this frontier of sport where Kevin Cassese competes. From 1999-2003, Cassese established himself as one of Duke’s all-time greats. He made such an impact on the lacrosse program that Locker No. 22 remained empty throughout the 2004 season, a tribute to all that the Port Jefferson, N.Y., native had contributed to the school.
The three-time All-American and All-ACC player was twice a finalist for the Tewaaraton Trophy, lacrosse’s equivalent of the Heisman, and finished 24th on Duke’s all-time points list, a significant accomplishment for a midfielder.
Cassese was drafted second overall in the 2003 MLL draft by the Rochester Rattlers, and has since devoted four months each year to the MLL season. The pay isn’t great, and in the off-season Cassese supplements his income by working for Brine, the nation’s premier lacrosse company, as well as working the Long Island lacrosse camp circuit.
On this day, Cassese’s Rattlers need a win to remain in the playoff hunt. Although a win against the 1-11 Pride does not seem to be a tall order, the Rattlers struggle in the first half and trail 8-7 going into the locker room. Cassese keeps the game close by scoring two game-tying goals.
In the second half the Rattlers refocus and pull away with a seven-goal run to open the half. Cassese doesn’t score, but still finds ways to contribute with his toughness. He gets blindsided right in front of the goal during the Rochester run, drawing a penalty that results in a power play and another Rattler goal. In the fourth quarter, when a New Jersey player takes out his frustration by picking a fight with his opponent, Cassese jumps in to the skirmish to protect his teammate.
The Rattlers win 21-11 and after the game Rochester coach B.J. O’Hara praised the gritty two-way play of his star midfielder.
“Kevin is perfect for this league because he does so many things,” O’Hara said. “He’s a great athlete, and faces off well—a great offensive player and a great defensive player. When you’re only dressing 18 guys a guy like Kevin is invaluable.”
The casual observer would likely question Cassese’s career decision. Why take this exhausting part time job when you could be doing something much less grueling and much more profitable?
To Cassese though, the more important question is: “why not?”
“This is the sport I love, and I’ve been playing since second grade,” Cassese said. “This league might be part time, but it’s a way to keep playing and stay in the sport you love. It’s really a no-brainer for me.”
Cassese might be an even better player in the pros than he ever was at Duke, despite having to adjust to the increased speed and talent level.
“I think the college game is very specialized, and I think when you get into the MLL, guys can really blossom in terms of showing all the different things they can do,” O’Hara said. “Here we ask Kevin to do a ton of stuff, and he does it all real well.”
Cassese has had success even while adjusting to the pro game. The pressure on Cassese to retain his level of play in the face of superior completion and more physical play is intense.
“There are only six teams in the MLL, so every team’s an all-star team,” Cassese said. “It’s truly the best lacrosse players in the world out here, so the level of play is just amazing.... The pro game is certainly played at a higher intensity level. They clearly call the games tighter at the college level—there’s no fighting and no scrapping—but I think that stuff is very good for the pro game. It brings in fans, and it lets them get their emotions flowing, so we welcome it.”
This season, Cassese raised his season goal total from 12 to 18, and his team’s record improved from 5-7 in 2003 to 7-5, enough to qualify for the playoffs. His Rattlers fell to the Boston Cannons in the league semifinals though, and now he will be forced to return to the mainstream workforce.
When May approaches, however, Cassese will have no second thoughts about picking up the stick once again—his competitive spirit has yet to fade.
“Your motivation should be the same in anything you do. You want to be the best, and you want to win a championship,” Cassese said. “It doesn’t matter if its an ACC Championship or NCAA Championship or MLL World Championship—it’s always a goal you have, and to reach it would be the greatest achievement.”
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