The National League League recently had arguably its most viral moment ever. A clip of a fight spread far and wide across social media. From Barstool Sports to Joe Rogan and everything in between, the clip, which featured a brutal right handed knockout punch, has ignited a storm of opinions and interest in lacrosse. Some were learning for the first time that this type of fighting was allowed (it is indoors). More seasoned lacrosse fans acknowledged that yes, fighting is part of the game and has been for decades. Some even consider it a necessary part of the game. But breaking down fights and their place in the game isn’t what I’m setting out to do here. I’d like to instead focus on one of the combatants, Elijah Gash. While his star is on the rise indoors, his star is in limbo outdoors.
Gash is an Albany alum, and was 2nd team All Conference as a senior. Head Coach Scott Marr has sent plenty of Great Danes to the pro ranks. Before Albany he was at NAIA program St Ambrose. Gash’s athleticism has always been eye popping. He was a three time captain of his high school lacrosse team. He also starred in football, which is no surprise since it’s a family business. His father is Sam Gash, who had a 12 year NFL career and won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens. Caleb Gash plays football at Michigan state. Isaiah Gash walked on at Michigan football and is now a boxer. Samson Gash also played collegiate football. His mother was a DI volleyball player. It’s a household full of athletes.
A 6’4, 220 lb defenseman might not seem like anything new in lacrosse these days, until you watch Gash run and move. You can tell he’s different from anyone else. He has a speed and agility that just don’t seem to make sense for someone his size. The common way it’s said these days is that he’s playing a different game than everyone else. In transition he covers ground like Giannis Antetokounmpo running up the floor. He ragdolls riding attackmen like they aren’t even there. His highlight tape in high school goes beyond a man among boys; athletically he’s a man among insects.
For all that athleticism, Elijah Gash, even at the end of his college career, was exceptionally raw by pro lacrosse standards. Really, he could still be called raw by DI men’s lacrosse standards. Athletically and in terms of physical measurables, he could have been considered one of if not the top pro prospect in the class. But he was part of the 2023 draft class, one of the top defensive drafts in field lacrosse history. Gavin Adler, Owen Grant, Brett Makar, Will Bowen, and that’s just the first round. Cam Wyers, an every week player for the Utah Archers and a two league pro, was selected in the final round, one pick before Gash. That was the depth. Even knowing he would need a lot of work, the Whipsnakes took Gash with the 30th pick in the draft.
An injury sidelined Gash for just about his entire rookie season, a less than ideal start for a player who would need time to develop at the pro level. And therein lies the rub.
In the PLL, practice time can be scarce. In most cases, teams have a Zoom call during the week to review game film and talk through the strategy for the upcoming week. Players fly into the home market for a given weekend, and the teams will have 90 minutes or so to practice the night before the games. That’s the extent of full team practice.
On top of that, players who aren’t named to the roster that weekend often don't travel to games. Players might still travel to be with the team even if they aren’t rostered, but in some cases that’s done on the player’s own dime. And those players typically don’t get practice reps, the guys playing on game day do.
The picture here should be getting clear. Gash, an athletic freak who most certainly has the physical tools to be a pro field lacrosse player, has exceptionally scarce opportunities to develop on the field as a player. He was drafted by the Whipsnakes, which would be an excellent situation for him. Jim Stagnitta is an excellent pro coach, the Whips DC is PT Ricci who has pro experience as a player and a coach. 2024 Defenseman of the Year winner Matt Dunn also coaches lacrosse, and would be a linemate and excellent teacher for Gash. But the numbers game is what it is when it comes to roster spots.
It’s a challenge the PLL will have to face sooner or later. The expansion of practice rosters would allow for players like Gash to develop by practicing with the team on a regular basis even if he isn’t dressing on gameday. The only thing holding Gash back was the chance to practice and play with pros more, and roster numbers are simply set up so he rarely could do that. Gash was eventually released to the player pool, where he still is, because in the PLL, it’s hard to carry players who won’t play for you on game day.
Indoors in the NLL, Gash was claimed by Toronto in the dispersal draft after Panther City Lacrosse Club folded. As of this writing, he’s played in all five games and has 19 loose balls and three caused turnovers. He gets to run out the back door with players like Mitch de Snoo, Chris Corbeil, Brad Kri, and Josh Jubenville, and he gets to play defense in front of Nick Rose. He gets to participate in practices and learn from players of that caliber in an organization that prides itself on sound defense (just like the Whipsnakes). It’s a great situation for a developing player, and dividends are showing already. Gash is someone who just needs time on the floor, and he’s getting a ton of it.
In pro sports, being a freak athlete isn’t always enough. There are All Americans and other high level athletes who are sitting in the PLL player pool. If that happens to Gash in the NLL, we’ll at least know that he got opportunities to practice and develop. Outdoors, unless practice rosters grow, we’ll never really know if Gash could have made it or not. In baseball terms, Gash needs a season or two worth of at-bats in Double A. In the PLL, for now, there’s just not enough of a path for him, and future prospects like him, to get those at bats.
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