The Washington Stealth announced today that Head Coach Chris Hall has re-signed for the 2013 season. Hall, who also serves as the Vice President of Lacrosse Operations for the team, is entering his fifth season with the Stealth.
“Chris is an integral part of the Stealth organization on and off the floor and having him back for a full season is a huge step forward for the 2013 season,†said Stealth General Manager Doug Locker. “He is the heart and soul of our team and we are looking forward to him being behind the bench for another season in Washington.â€
Hall missed portions of training camp and nearly half of the 2012 season as he underwent treatment for a cancerous tumor in his throat. The team got off to a slow start in his absence, going 1-5 en route to a league-worst 4-12 record. Hall, now fully recovered from his treatment, is excited to return to the bench and put last season’s struggles behind the organization.
“Obviously, last season was incredibly difficult,†Hall said. “It was hard not to be there and I feel bad that I put our players, coaches and organization in a disjointed situation. It was a long struggle to get back, but having stability going into 2013 will allow us to have a sort of fresh start and we expect to get back to championship form.â€
The Stealth enjoyed unprecedented success under Hall’s guidance in its first two seasons in Washington. The team won its first National Lacrosse League title in 2010 and followed that with a second straight Western Division Championship and a one-goal loss in the 2011 Championship Game. Since Hall took over as head coach midway through the 2009 season, the Stealth has gone 36-24 and played in three Western Division Finals.
Hall is one of the most successful head coaches in NLL history, currently ranking fourth on the league’s all-time regular season wins list with 72. He is also one of only three coaches in NLL history to win a championship with two teams (Calgary 2004 and Washington 2010). But it’s not the past Hall is concerned with; his thoughts are already focused on the 2013 season, which is slated to begin in January.
“We still have a very strong roster that’s pretty young,†he said. “But there’s always improvements to be made and we are preparing to do that through the draft and in free agency. Last year was a wake up call for our guys and proof that there’s not much separating first from worst in our league. There will be no signs of complacency for us this year, that’s for sure.â€
