Will Manny couldn’t get away from lacrosse. After graduating from the University of Massachusetts in May of 2013, he began a full-time job with Bank of America in Boston. Even though he was still playing the sport he loves with the Boston Cannons, something was missing.
“Within six months or so, I wasn’t comfortable,” said Manny. “It’s not that I didn’t like working in finance. I loved learning, but I needed to be surrounded by this sport. Six months into the job, I told my parents just that.”
Manny had a deep conversation with his parents when they came to Boston for a visit.
“I told them I needed to be around this game right now,” he said. “I need to coach and need to be an ambassador of this sport.”
For lacrosse to continue growing, the sport needs figures like Will Manny. A captain for his Cannons’ squad as just a third-year player, Manny is often seen signing autographs, interacting with fans and genuinely having a great time around the sport he loves.
Along with his work with the Cannons, Manny is now around the sport full-time. Last summer, he accepted an assistant coaching position at Wagner College under former Boston teammate Matt Poskay, the Seahawks’ head coach since 2012.
“Matt gave me a call when the [MLL] season was over,” said Manny. “He said if I wanted to come coach at Wagner, the spot was mine. I thought about it for two to three weeks. Ultimately, I thought it was a great situation, so I accepted the graduate assistant position. I am working towards my MBA for free and I’m coaching a Division I program that has been on the rise and has done better every single year.”
Through his career as a college player, professional player and now college coach, Manny has developed into one of the bigger names in the sport. The 5-foot-9 attackman may not be an imposing figure, but he continues to impress in everything he does. As he described, there’s a natural adjustment everyone has to go through in getting acclimated to Major League Lacrosse.
“When you get into this league, you need to be a role player and understand where your role is in your specific organization,” he said. “At first, I was on a team with a lot of offensive firepower, both skill-wise and leadership-wise in guys like Ryan Boyle, Paul Rabil and Kevin Buchanan. I had to find my role, which was to be relentless off-ball, make my looks and finish the ball when needed.”
Manny enjoyed success from the get-go, tallying 30 points behind 18 goals and 12 assists in ten games as a rookie in 2013. He showed that he could play in the league. He still had room to grow and he certainly has.
“Since my rookie year, I honestly think my leadership has done a complete 180,” said the Massapequa, New York native. “My voice is heard and I’m trusted a lot more, but that’s developed over the past two years. I think I carry the ball a lot better now. I feel comfortable going into every game. Now, being looked at as a leader and captain of my team, I think my confidence, my leadership, my level of play and how much I support this organization and how much it means to me has changed completely.”
Manny’s actions show how much he genuinely loves the sport. That love is needed to play in a league, which despite being 14 years old, is still in its infancy. Almost every player has a full-time job during the week and uses the MLL as a way to continue playing the game they love.
Manny knows for the sport to get where everyone envisions, the current players play a big role.
“Major League Lacrosse is fortunate to have so many of our players serve as terrific ambassadors of the game,” said MLL Commissioner David Gross. “Will Manny is absolutely one of those guys. Fans gravitate to him. Part of it is his style of play, but more importantly, it’s how he interacts with the fans.”
“We need to be the ambassadors to get the sport where it needs to be,” said Manny. “It’s unfortunate that we’re not being paid millions of dollars, but the only reason we’re playing is for the love of the sport. I think that’s what kids are now recognizing.”
One opportunity to be an ambassador came last month in Houston as Manny was named to his first All-Star Game. After many thought he should have been named to the team in 2014, it helped motivate Manny to play even better in 2015.
“This [All-Star appearance] was another accomplishment I got to check off my list in my lacrosse career,” said Manny. “I think a lot of the fuel for my fire was last year. I didn’t let last year [negatively] affect me. You get bummed out for a day and think about it, but it got me going in my offseason training.
“I’m the first Division I athlete in my whole family, so being able to accomplish All-Star recognition in the top tier of the sport was special,” he continued. “It was really special.”
Among the All-Star festivities was a clinic with the youth of Houston.
“Just being looked up to by all these kids in an area where the sport is growing rapidly was really special,” said Manny. “Being on the field starting an All-Star Game for the first time with Marcus Holman and guys who I’ve been friends with since I graduated, it was pretty cool to be on the field with them, have some fun and put on a show for a great crowd in Houston where those people love the game so much.”
The sport of lacrosse is expanding west and into new markets. The Denver Pioneers made history in May by becoming the first team west of the Mississippi to win an NCAA Championship. It may be hard to believe, but lacrosse is growing in a place like Houston and the All-Stars serving as ambassadors only help expedite that growth.
“The growth of the MLL has been, and will continue to be, around our players and how they are, both on and off the field,” said Gross. “These guys are tremendous athletes and the best at what they do in the entire world. They are also phenomenal individuals. Guys like Will are always willing to go above and beyond to help grow the league.
“Being a professional lacrosse player isn’t easy and often, more is expected and required of our players than in other sports,” continued Gross. “What makes the MLL so special is what our players are willing and eager to do to help promote the sport.”
Manny is helping the future of lacrosse through his assistant coaching position as well. Wagner won four games in 2015, a school record for a program that is trending upward. One of the biggest things Manny brought to the table was work ethic; he is an example of someone who works hard, as a coach and player.
“If [the Wagner players] want to win four games like this past year and have the most wins in school history, they’ve got to work for it,” said Manny. “Matt [Poskay] has done a great job of showing them that more work on their own leads to more success as a team. I told Matt, I live right around the block in my own apartment. I’ll get up whenever needed for individual sessions with these kids, do extra work, do extra film work. Whatever they need, I’ll be available at any time.”
One of the best examples of a strong work ethic is through film study.
“I always relate back to my years in college when [UMass] Coach Cannella took me under his wing as a freshman and said if I watch more film and do that extra work, I could be one of the best players to play in that program,” said Manny. “Now, I have my stick in my hand every day, with access to the weight room. Being on my own, as opposed to having roommates, I focus a lot on myself. I think it’s definitely helped me with my confidence and understanding of how I’m having to watch film and what I’m looking for in film, not only to teach my kids, but also myself.”
Wagner players would often catch Manny watching film of his own game. That’s a powerful example. Not only is their coach stressing film study, but he’s doing it himself.
“I’d be watching film of a Wagner game and have two kids come into the locker room. My office is right next door and they’d mention how much film I’m watching,” said Manny. “I’d tell them, you guys need to do the same. I promise you, it’s going to help. They walk in again a half hour later after shooting and I’d be watching my Boston Cannons games.
“I don’t even have to say anything; I think they understand how much I break down the game,” he continued. “To be honest, this game is not too difficult if you understand what’s going on game plan wise and situational wise. Coaching has definitely elevated my game, not just physically, how conditioned I am and how much I’ve had my stick in my hand, but also IQ wise. Understanding situations now as a leader, it’s definitely taken my game to the next level.”
Another example of Manny’s growth as a player came in January when he was named to the Team USA roster for the Champion Challenge. To wear the Red, White and Blue was an experience he’ll never forget.
“That might have been the most special moment in my lacrosse career to this date,” said Manny. “It’s honestly hard to describe. It’s not the World Games, but rather two weekends where I went to Seattle and played vs. Notre Dame. Then down in Florida, we did the challenge and played a White vs. Blue scrimmage against each other.”
The experience should serve as extra motivation for Manny, who hopes to make the United States’ team for the next World Games.
“As soon as that roster was made public, I can’t even tell you how many text messages, calls and emails I got from friends, family and current MLL guys,” he said. “Obviously it’s still exhibition, the World Games were over and there’s another four years until 2018, but it tells me and triggers in my mind that I’m on the radar for [the Team USA coaching staff]. I need to continue getting better each day, each week, each game, each summer up until those tryouts. I know I’ll be ready and hopefully it works out.”
The focus right now is on the 2015 MLL season. Manny currently owns 35 points, one season after tallying 52. The Cannons are surging at 7-5, tied for second place and only trailing the New York Lizards who are 10-2.
“Our team features a completely different group than we’ve had the past two years,” said Manny. “In the past, there were a bunch of voices, but this year, we’ve bought into understanding what Coach Tucker is trying to do. We go out there, we sell out and play hard every single game.”
An extremely tight MLL season has seen the first-place Lizards drop games to the seventh and eighth-place teams. Just about every game is tight, including one weekend which featured four one-goal games across the league.
“We control what we need to do the rest of the season,” said Manny. “If you don’t show up, if you make a silly play, the ball goes the other way and it’s in the back of the net before you know it. We have great communication between our team this year via email and GroupMe, the app on the iPhone, so we’re always talking. It’s going to be a good race. We need to show up every week in order to finish in the top four group that makes the playoffs.”
A common theme for the UMass product is giving back to the game. Especially as of late, he’s been reaping the benefits of the game more and more. From being named a Cannons’ captain to earning a spot on the All-Star Team, playing for Team USA and being named an assistant coach at Wagner, Manny is inundating himself with the sport of lacrosse and he wouldn’t want it any other way.
In the process, the future of the sport is better because of Manny embracing his role as an ambassador.
“Whether it’s taking a picture with fans, signing an autograph, answering them if they comment on a picture on Instagram or tweet at you, I’ve seen plenty of other players who do that and I always recognize those people whenever I see them,” he said.
“Will is upbeat and fully engaged when connecting with a fan,” said Gross. “It’s great to see the reactions of fans after they’ve had a chance to meet Will. It only takes a moment to make a fan for life and Will makes the most of those opportunities.”
