Back When I Coached College Lacrosse: Steve Koudelka Part 2

At 6’ 5’ with Larry Bird like field vision the All American G-burg goalie Steve Koudelka (aka Kouder) pushed the ball up field on clears to start fast breaks. He also had a Larry Quinn like outlet pass that made him a force to be reckoned with. Even as a sophomore he understood the game so well thus I am not surprised he’s coaching and doing well. My greatest Kouder memories at G-burg are not on the field but at his frat house. The first in only time I ventured over there, was during football season and Steve, who like Dave Cottle, is a big Bama fan. There is Kouder sitting riveted in front of the tube with a clipboard in hand watching a game and keeping stats on it. The guy was so intense I don’t think he did more than a quick “hi coach O” and back in the game zone again. I also member the time I took him and some other G-burg players to one my MLC games in Baltimore back when I still played. After the game he and other G-burg players came with me to one my favorite soul food restaurants Lake Trout on Reisterstown Road in Baltimore City. Kouder and his teammates loved the food and they didn’t shy away from the experience of being in a tough neighborhood in Baltimore as a minority for perhaps the first time in their lives. Kouder went on to have a great career at G-burg as a player and later as assistant for Coach J. He also had an outstanding career starting in the net for the New Jersey Pride of the Major League Lacrosse. My greatest regret was never seeing him play as a pro or on the US National team; not sure if he ever went to a tryout. I’ve worked with him on more than one occasion at lacrosse camps as Coach Koudelka and I like how he carries himself and interacts with his players.