Attended ND event where Kevin Corrigan spoke last night

Last night a the ND Club of Orange County (CA) held their annual Universal Notre Dame dinner. Kevin Corrigan was the ND representative and keynote speaker.

Kevin is personable, humble and a great representative of Our Lady's university. He spoke broadly about ND, but certainly had lots to say about his tenure as ND's lacrosse coach and how much he love's still being around the team and helping them on and off the field. (my phrasing). In no particular order:

- He said he likes the sound of back-to-back NC's or "2 in a row" instead of 2 for 36 (now 38)!
- Said young men are not different from when he first started (38 years ago), however their manner of relating to parents, coaches, other adults is different.
- Got a bit choked up talking about how special these guys are and what they share together. Tradition is to sit in the locker room after the final loss of the season and have each graduating senior get up and speak. He said unfortunately we have done this 36 times (ended with a loss)! Mentioned that Pete B, Father Bob and Marcus all witnessed it a few weeks ago, but stayed out of view. They all mentioned how moving it was to experience.
- The word "chaos" can definitely be used for college athletics, but that Notre Dame needs be out in front doing it the right way and that college sports needs ND. NIL is important and legitimate, but the delivery and current approach (by most schools) is unsubstainable. Transfer portal combined with NIL leads to kids being constantly being recruited for their entire careers. Needs to be guardrails like perhaps 1 transfer per 4 years.....
- Is amazed and pleased with the growth of lacrosse around the country (CA specifically has many more D1 players than before). Lamented it has not grown all that much at the collegiate level (men's lacrosse) because of Title IX restrictions and the fact that is hard to add a men's sport with 40+ positions...
- He is on the committee that votes on the Tewaarton award and had to keep the secret that Shawn Lyght won for around 5 days! He is so happy that "the best player in the country" won and not the best scorer or the best offensive player.
- Had his lovely wife with him and give her high praising for her tremendous support (Super Fan) all of these years and of course being an amazing wife and mother!
- When the topic of changing landscape of college sports came up, he said it is always changing. Spoke about how his father coached soccer and lacrosse, while assisting with varsity basketball and coaching freshman basketball at the University of Virginia in 1958!
- Perhaps the most important information Kevin shared was in a private conversation with me afterward. I'm not sure I should report it here, but it left me thinking the program is in really good hands! Ok...hell here it is: Dickie V's Grandson (Ryan Sforzo) is returning for an additional season as the team's bagpiper!!