Team News

Coaches and players from Liberty University’s men’s lacrosse team hosted two weeks of its ever-popular Flames Futures Summer Camps, with a total of 82 players from as far away as Florida and New England attending either a day session from July 10-13 or an overnight experience from July 17-19.

“Hosting camp again this year was a refreshing experience,” Flames Assistant Coach Mike Zumpano said. “Both weeks were a great success. We re-instituted the overnight option this year and we had 32 campers for that, with 15 current and former players returning to help. The past two years have been a little different with COVID and having to be a little more restrictive in the way that we ran things, so it was definitely good to have the energy back on campus. It was a good change of pace.”

In the first week of camp, the activities were limited to a central area of campus, with water games played during the hottest times of day and breaks taken before more on-field drills were held in the afternoon. In the second week of camp, overnight guests were offered campus tours with stops at the Liberty Arena, Freedom Tower, Liberty Athletics Center, and a few academic buildings as well as enjoying off-field activities such as basketball, swimming, and rock climbing in the LaHaye Recreation & Fitness Center and soccer in the Thomas Indoor Soccer Center.

“It was one of the better experiences we could offer based on the activities we were able to provide, and the use of our facilities is a premier part of that,” Zumpano said.

In addition, Flames Assistant Coach Justin Kilian led strength and conditioning sessions, teaching campers how to manage nutrition and recovery and showing them movement patterns and training techniques.

“In the majority of our on-field sessions, all of the counselors got to showcase their skills and help players develop their own,” Zumpano said.

Club Sports Assistant Athletic Director Reese Braband, who oversees its Spiritual Development staff, served as chaplain for both camps, leading chapel services that added an invaluable dimension to the camp.

“As we continue to grow the sport, not only in Lynchburg, but just this part of the country we continue to see more and more kids wanting to play the sport and learn more about the sport, there are lots of lacrosse camps for kids to choose from, but Liberty is able to offer something that is pretty unique with the spiritual component and having a chance to have our faith be a part of not only camp, but how we operate on a day-to-day basis is one of the things that sets us apart,” Flames Head Coach Kyle McQuillan said.

Video edited by Kylee Lilge/Club Sports Video & Media Assistant