The Middlebury-Vail Experience transcends time.  We live in the moment as we share and build new experiences together on the lacrosse field.  And we recall distant important and cherished memories of playing together when we were young men at Middlebury.  As Eric Kemp said most eloquently at our Sonnenalp reception when honoring Will Graham for his contribution to the Vail effort, the Middlebury-Vail Experience allows us to both reflect upon the past while creating new experiences in the present moment.  We are able to share our similar experiences with the men (and their families) who wore the Panther Blue from 1971 to 2000 when considering the participation of Mike Mulligan (1971-75) and Dave Campbell and Jed Raymond (1997-2000).  When in Vail, we share ourselves with each other as we compete together.  While competing on the field, and chatting at evening receptions, we get to know each other better in 3 days than we would in 30 years of cocktail parties.

There were too many great moments and lessons I learned in Vail to list all of them, but here are some of my personal lessons that I would like to share with the Middlebury Alumni Lacrosse family:

I had heard of Mike Mulligan off and on for 33 years, but I had never met him.  Watching him scrap and hustle on the lacrosse field and seeing the strength and determination in his eyes, I feel honored to finally get to know him.  He is a scrapper and fighter who made some great lacrosse plays.  More importantly, his leadership makes me happy for all the students at the Thatcher School who are lucky indeed!

I felt that I got to know Greg Hickey in a completely different dimension than I had before.  Although we had played together in 1977, he was a senior and I was a freshman and a connection wasn't formed. But seeing him in Vail with his brother Jeff, I learned that the brotherly love should never be taken for granted or left to whither on the vine.  Bobo mentioned that there were five sets of brothers in Vail -- the Hickeys, the Owsleys, the Lows, the Petersons and the Watts.  I only wish that I could share an experience like this one with one of my brothers.  I also got insight into Hick's artistic side.  He filmed his whole week in Vail with the goal of creating a documentary of the event.  It first seemed maybe a bit corny to me, but as I reflected upon it, I realized that he was documenting something that was really important to him, and to us, and his efforts will be invaluable to all of us.  I can't wait for the finished product!

And playing for 3 games non-stop with Will Graham (heck, we only had 3 defensemen on the Grandmasters team), further enlightened me about Will's deep and textured soul.  Out on the field with Wilbur for 3 days, I learned lacrosse strategy, humor and philosophy all at the same time and not necessarily in that order.  Besides having the honor of playing behind a great athlete and defenseman, Wilbur helped me to understand that our Middlebury teams play so well together in Vail not because we played so well in college 11 or 22 or 33 years ago (although we did), and not because we play together at other tournaments (because we don't), and not because we play at all when not in Vail (because most of us don't).  We play so well together because we TRUST each other -- on and off the field.

And I learn so many things from a guy like Roy Heffernan, but one of the great lessons that he taught me this time around was that with a strong will, determination, a belief in oneself and a belief in the TEAM, great things can be accomplished. Watching Roy win the overtime faceoff and then score the winning overtime goal in our semi-final game, he personified what Eric Kemp had spoken about.  When playing with Heff, we were able to recall cherished and important memories of the wonderful things he did on the athletic field 30 years ago, while at the same time sharing in his awesome abilities in the present moment. 

From Greg Wheeler I learn that a good heart and abundant consideration for others helps to overcome obstacles.  Wheels played really hurt for 3 days and made such an important contribution to the team on the field, and then he graciously hosted team members and their families back at his condo during post-game hours to complete the Vail experience.  Wheels has a huge heart. 

From Peter Kohn, I learned the ever present lesson that Peter teaches:  "Be kind to others and kindness will find you."  Whenever I spend a few days with Peter, I always feel enriched.  Perhaps the greatest contribution ever made to Middlebury was made by Jim Grube in 1980 when he brought Peter there.  It is serendipitous that I was a senior when Peter first came to Middlebury, and in the many years afterward I lost a connection to him and his importance to our shared experience.  But by playing at Vail in 1999 and in six years afterward, my greatest gain has been getting to know him.  Peter is a strong believer in God.  From what I can tell, God's grace shines down upon him like it does on no other person that I have ever met.  My son, Darren, who plays on the current Middlebury College team, had the honor of being a KOTK in 2008.  I only hope he knows how lucky he is to have that experience.

And from Bob Sideli, I learn that he works so hard for all of us because he knows that with life's challenges and grind, it is important to remember that, as John Burchard's Life is Good T-Shirt reminds us, the glass is half full.  Bobo helps us on so many different dimensions.  Simply said, our collective lives would have an unknown void if it were not for the efforts of Bobo and his wife, Donna. 

From all the wives and girlfriends and kids, I learn that a woman never stops loving to watch their men in action, and men still love to be watched.  Watching the wives and kids and girlfriends on the sidelines cheering on their one special man or their one special dad, and knowing that every player tries just a little bit more with  those special eyes are upon him, is...well...a beautiful thing.

And guys like Alan Smiley, Jon Atherton and other guys whose  reputation as athletes I have admired for 10 or 20 years, and finally getting to meet them and talk to them, was an honor.  And getting coached by Erin Quinn and Dave Campbell on the sidelines has further honored me by being coached by every Middlebury coach since 1977 -- Dennis Daly, Jim Grube, Erin Quinn and now Dave Campbell.  How many guys can say that?  I think maybe two -- Kemper and me.

Lastly, from my great friend Eric Kemp, I learn that life is so much better when you have an unconditional friend with whom you can share life's ups and downs.  Playing lacrosse with Kemper is never boring.  Whether winning or losing, we banter the whole game.  "Nice save...great stick check...way to bury him...good outlet...that was  close...how can these middies breathe out here...who has the "2"  slide...how can we adjust to stop these guys...they can't beat  us...send it...keep it...whose up...tell Bobo what to do...sorry I  missed him...I should'a stopped it -- laughter...anger...joy...screaming-out-loud joy...-- I can't believe  we are still doing this at 50."

Being around guys like these guys, and being around families like these families, and being exposed to lessons like these lessons, makes me realize how much I still have to learn about life and how lucky I am to have people like these people teaching those lessons to me.

So hey...let's experience it again next year!!