Matt Bocklet, top (shown in action for the Denver Outlaws),
has had the upper hand on most of his MLL and NLL
opponents during his pro career thus far.
Matt Bocklet’s lacrosse career has taken him to many places.
From John Jay High School to an NCAA tournament appearance at Fairfield University to an NCAA championship at Johns Hopkins to the NLL with the Philadelphia Wings, and now, to the Major League Lacrosse championship game with the Denver Outlaws.
Bocklet had eight groundballs for Denver yesterday in a 10-9 loss to Toronto in yesterday’s MLL title game.
It capped a memorable week for Bocklet in which he was named to the All-MLL team.
It’s been a whirlwind for sure. So I thought it would be interesting to get Matt’s thoughts on all this.
How have you adjusted your game for pro lacrosse or are you pretty much doing the same things you did in college?
I haven’t made many major adjustments to my game since college. The biggest difference is not practicing and working out with a team every day, so the hardest thing for me is to make sure that I am training year round.
What have you found to be the biggest difference between the MLL and college in terms of the level of play and the abilities of the players?
The biggest difference I have found between college and the MLL is the talent and knowledge of the players. You can not game plan for individual players because everyone has the ability to score.
Did you expect to have an immediate impact the way you have in the league?
I didn’t expect to ever make a big impact in this league. I was just hoping to continue my lacrosse career and be able to compete against some of the best players in the game.
Are you surprised you have been named an all-star so early in your career?
I was very surprised to be an all star this past year. I was even more surprised to be named to the all-pro team at the end of the season. It is a great honor and I am going to make sure I keep working hard to live up to it.
Can you talk about how you stay involved in lacrosse the rest of the year?
I have been living in Dallas this past year and coached a High School team down here. It was my first time coaching and I really enjoyed it and want to continue to do so. I also played in the NLL this past winter for the Philadelphia Wings. Playing indoor has been a blast and is a great way for me to improve my lacrosse skills.
Reach Joe Lombardi at joe@laxlessons.com.
Name the regions Top 5 varsity programs and have a chance to win
Posted In: Interviews, Major League Lacrosse
I don’t watch the MLL because it’s gotten to the point after they tweaked the rules so much that it’s not real lacrosse. But Matt’s accomplishments are impressive. … 8 GB’s. Wow!