Thanks for Everything

It's nice to see everyone coming together to remember Mike. With the exception of my mother and father, I can't think of anyone who has taught me more lessons about how to be successful in life.

Mike and I had a funny relationship throughout my career at DeSmet. Everyone who played for him knows that he was not shy with words, and he would tell you exactly what he thought about you with a couple of expletives thrown in. Mike (deservedly) rode me harder than most, and, at the time I never really knew why.

I remember inciting his wrath in lines drills one day because I was holding my stick incorrectly in the breakout, over the shoulder drill. Mike saw this and quickly hopped in the line with us so that he was the one throwing the passes to me. For about ten consecutive passes, he literally shot the ball at me so that I would get crossed up and the ball would hit me in the back or in the back of my head. I swore Mike was trying to kill me.

When the drill was over, he started screaming at me because I knew the correct way to do the drill and for some reason continued to do it incorrectly. Mike and I would have the occasional encounter like this throughout my career, and I don't think I really understood what he was trying to do until I moved on to college.

Older and wiser, I realized that Mike, as a coach, was trying to teach me some of the most important lessons in life:
- You can always work harder
- You can always get better at what you do
- You can always get smarter
- You cannot do it alone; you are only as good as your teammates

Mike and I got much closer after my high school career was over, and he was a tremendous source of encouragement and advice throughout my collegiate lacrosse career. He has also been a close friend to the rest of my family throughout the years, despite the fact that none of us live in Missouri anymore (I'm in Philly and my folks are in Minnesota).

Mike worked long hours for little or no pay making DeSmet lacrosse as successful as it is, and I know of no other person who has given as much to that school and it's students, as asked for so little in return.

I feel very lucky to have known Mike, and to have learned these lessons from him. Thanks for everything Coach.

Beau Barnett
Class of '97