An old dog - at least in lacrosse years - is about to learn a new trick.
As a player, Gary Gait revolutionized the men's game with a combination of skill and artistry.
He brought these same elements to the women's ranks, as an assistant coach for the University of Maryland.
Yet, the 35-year-old is set to try his steady hand at another challenge.
The Bayhawks open their Major League Lacrosse season at 7:30 tonight at Ravens Stadium with Gait doubling as head coach and one of their top midfielders.
"I think being a player/coach is the only thing I haven't done," said Gait, wearing a hearty grin 15 minutes after Bayhawks practice Sunday.
"I have a vision in my head about how this works, and that's really all I'm working off of."
Gait was a player/owner for the National Lacrosse League's Washington Power, an indoor team. But his latest venture, he admits, came out of nowhere.
After teaming with his brother, Paul Gait, to lead the Long Island Lizards to the inaugural MLL title, Gary Gait was named offensive coordinator of the Bayhawks in early February.
That decision was motivated by the fact that if he were a coach, Gait, a Victoria, British Columbia, native, could compete for Canada in this summer's world championships in Perth, Australia. Under league rules, all players under contract who were not college draftees in the past two years are not permitted to play for any other team during the summer.
But then Bayhawks head coach Brian Voelker resigned, after differences with management. The organization, which moved into Ravens Stadium this season, needed a high-profile coach.
Gait, whose resume includes three national championships and four All-America berths while at Syracuse, and a boatload of MVP trophies and All-Pro honors in the indoor leagues, was the obvious choice.
"We didn't want to take the stick out of Gary's hands," said Bayhawks part owner Gordon Boone. "We still wanted him to play."
After the Bayhawks acquired the playing rights to Gait from Long Island, the nine-year assistant at Maryland resigned in mid-May, and also decided to forgo a chance to play in the world championships.
"I was also an assistant coach for Canada, and it's been two years in the process working to get our team together. I wish I could still go, but this is the decision that's best for the Bayhawks, myself and my family," said Gait, a Baltimore resident.
"I have two young kids and a wife, and I want to play in the city I live in."
To help Gait, the Bayhawks brought in former Johns Hopkins All-American Mike Morrill to be the offensive coordinator. Tony Resch, an old teammate of Gait's with the NLL's Philadelphia Wings - a team Resch also coached to four titles - will run the defense. And Craig Campbell, who was on the staff last year, returned as the box coach.
While Gait is the lead coach, the midfielder will put down the clipboard during games and focus on his own play.
"When you play at the level he does, the competitive fire always burns bright," said Resch. "He's still the guy who you would want to have the ball in his stick come crunch time."
Gait says he is injury-free, and he continues to defy critics who suggest he has lost a step.
He scored 30 goals last year for the Lizards in 16 games, and followed that up with 56 goals and 63 assists in 18 games for the indoor Power.
Ironically, Gait probably wouldn't be playing if he had gotten the Maryland men's job last summer, which opened in September when longtime coach Dick Edell retired. Lacrosse pundits hailed Gait as the runaway choice to fill the vacancy.
But athletic director Debbie Yow brought in Loyola coach Dave Cottle, creating some controversy at Maryland and angering Gait, who said that coaching the Terps men was his dream job.
But no more.
"I'm taking advantage of the opportunities I have now," Gait said. "They say sometimes that you are better off when things don't go your way, and that is the way I am feeling right now. This has been a plus."
Bayhawks at a glance
Coaching staff: Gary Gait (player/coach), Mike Morrill, Tony Resch, Craig Campbell. Last year: 11-5; won Nationals Division; league finalist.
TV: Four games on Comcast SportsNet.
Stadium (capacity): Ravens Stadium (69,084)
Tickets: Prices range from $15 to $20. Call 1-888-99-HAWKS.
Top returning players: Tom Marechek, A; Mark Millon, A; Paul Cantabene (Loyola), M; Josh Sims (Severn), M; Kip Fulks (Maryland), M; Rob Doerr (Johns Hopkins), D; Brian Reese (Maryland), D; Greg Cattrano, G.
Top newcomers: John Blatchley (Towson), A; Sean Radebaugh (Salisbury), A; Gait, M.
Attack: Millon, the Bayhawks' leading goal scorer last year, is one of the league's most dangerous attackmen, and the flashy yet efficient Marechek is a perfect complement. Radebaugh, one of the top scorers for Long Island last year, will likely replace the traded Dan Denihan as the third attackman.
Midfield: Adding Gait, whose vision and ability are unparalleled, is a huge plus. Sims and Fulks are two of the fastest players in the league, and Cantabene is a consistent performer at the faceoff circle. The wild card might be former Loyola midfielder Mark Frye, who has impressed with his play in the preseason.
Defense: The Bayhawks defense, consisting of Doerr, Reese and Hugh Donovan, is big and nasty. At 6 feet 1, 200 pounds, Doerr is the smallest but stood out the most last season, shutting out some of the game's top players.
Goalies: Nicknamed "The Cat" for his quick reflexes, Cattrano can make highlight-reel saves that change the momentum of the game. Tim McGeeney (Loyola) and second-round draft pick Justin Cynar are the backups.
Toughest opposition: On paper, the Bayhawks and the Long Island Lizards are the class of the league. Baltimore beat Long Island in both regular-season meetings last year but fell to the Lizards, 15-11, in the most important game, the MLL final. The decision by former Lizard Gait to play for the Bayhawks, rather than go to Australia to play for Canada in the world championships, has added even more fuel to the league's top rivalry.
Outlook: The Bayhawks have star power at every position, plenty of depth and an accomplished coaching staff. Their fate will ultimately depend on their ability to mesh quickly under the new-look staff, which wasn't in place until hours before their first practice, and to break last year's habit of playing down to the level of competition. Anything but an MLL title will be a disappointment.
Jeff Zrebiec