By Chris Goldberg, TopLaxRecruits.com, Posted 11/3/20
Maybe it was fitting that Michael Kuligowski had to focus on playing short-stick midfield and offensive middie Sunday when tournament directors removed the faceoff specialist from the games in his tourney at the Delaware Turf Complex due to COVID-19 safety measure.
After all, the 2022 faceoff-middie from Cavalier Lacrosse Club and Langley High has been focusing on being an all-around player that can get the groundball, reclaim a lost possession and help on defense.
Just a day earlier, Kuligowski had earned MVP honors at the Victory Events Liberty National Elite Showcase at the Proving Grounds in Conshohocken, PA.
“Coming in, I was hoping to have a good show for the coaches,” said Kuligowski of the showcase. “During the games, everything was going right; I was getting the clamp on almost every faceoff.
“In games I use a scrappy mentality; I usually like to win the clamp, but if not I am doing all I can to get the ball back. I give 110 percent every time, I want to give all my effort to get the ball back for my team.”
Kuligowski said he is working hard on his all-around game.
“One of the things I need to excel in is my defense after the faceoff,” he said. “My sisters ended up playing D1 lacrosse. They started at attack in high school and moved to defense. I need to have the ability to go from the faceoff to defense to excel at the college level.”
Kuligowski was elevated to the varsity as a freshman, but was devastated when the 2020 high school season was lost due to COVID.
“Losing the high school season was really tough, it was a bummer,” he said. “We were looking really good, but that really motivated me to train even harder to make ever opportunity count.
“I have been going to the Faceoff Academy every Tuesday for the last 3 months, learning the new rules with (coach) Jerry Ragonese.”
Kuligowski has embraced the new faceoff rules. The motorcycle grip is being eliminated and players will start faceoffs with only their feet, gloves and sticks touching the ground
“The new rules are really interesting,” he said “I started working on them a lot; it will lead to a lot more groundballs and that will complement my game. I am able to get most of the loose GBs.”
What expectations does he have for the recruiting scene and the high school season in the spring? Kuligowski said he is looking at some Division I schools and also a top D3 college.
“I am working with my high school coaches; I want to dominate this year,” he said. “I also am workong on playing d-middie and LSM, which will help me in recruiting.
“Hopefully, I can find my dream school.”
