Boys' Latin lacrosse coach Bob Shriver isn't the sentimental type, but his next victory will be tough for even him not to reflect on and savor at some point.
In his 36th and final season, Shriver is poised to add another milestone to his legacy as the No. 3 Lakers (7-1) try to bring home his 500th career win when they host No. 8 South River on Thursday at 4:30 p.m.
"I've been incredibly lucky to coach at a great school with a lot of great kids and coached with a lot of great guys," said Shriver, who also made sure to mention the school's administration, athletic trainers and even the bus drivers who get the team to games on time. "I'm just the guy that runs the sidelines yelling at the referees and makes sure the bus shows up on time. I've worked with some remarkable people and that's one of the reasons I've been doing it so long because every year we have a great staff. That's been a huge part of it and it's been really, really fun."
After Boys' Latin won 9-7 at Kent Island on Tuesday, Shriver downplayed the potential for a special day on Thursday. He said the game is about the players, getting better as a team and winning as the Lakers prepare to defend last year's Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference championship.
His overall record stands at 499-136 with six league championships and 15 title game appearances. The 1997, 2006 and 2014 teams all enjoyed undefeated seasons and finished ranked No. 1 in the country.
When an Internet search is done on "Boys' Latin" — which athletic director Michael Thomas did recently — lacrosse is the first thing that pops up on the screen. Thomas said that is a testament to Shriver.
"If you simply think about tenure — head coach for 36 years and involved for 40 — that simple fact shows [Shriver] has been the face of the program for generations," Thomas said. "They know nothing else than Bob Shriver with Boys' Latin lacrosse. It represents decades of excellence, a high level of lacrosse and that consistency is a great testament to coach Shriver."
Asked to put into perspective the accomplishment of winning 500 games while competing in the country's most demanding league, Shriver did reflect.
"It's really hard. We compete in this insane league and to be involved in it … from a pure lacrosse junkie's perspective, does it get much better than a nice day in Baltimore playing competition on Tuesday and Friday that's enough to make you go bald?" he said. "That part is as cool as it gets."
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