Sandy Romans wanted to show the Batavia boys lacrosse team what high-caliber Division I lacrosse was like, so he arranged for a bus trip on Sunday to take the Bulldogs to South Bend, Ind., to catch the first ACC game between No. 6 Virginia and No. 12 Notre Dame.
It’s this kind of team-bonding experience off the field that is just part of what Romans, who has more than 40 years of playing and coaching experience, will offer as Batavia’s new head coach.
“He’s got a ton of experience, and it’s East Coast experience which is difficult to find out here,” Batavia senior Jason Cahill said. “He’s just a lot different than any coach I’ve ever had. Just when you think you know most things about lacrosse he keeps coming back with more stuff.”
Romans was a four-year starter in college, splitting his years at Roanoke College and Long Island-Post. Before a professional lacrosse league existed, Romans played for a Long Island Athletic Club that won a national title.
He began his coaching career at Suffolk Community College in New York. Most recently, the Aurora resident has had stints at Naperville North, Neuqua Valley and Naperville Central.
“He’s got a wealth of knowledge with lacrosse and has been around since they were playing in loincloths,” Batavia assistant coach Scott Salvati said. “He’s awesome. He’s coached at just about every level and it really is like a full-time job to steer a program, especially a new one, so it’s great to find someone like Sandy who can dedicate the time to take us to the next level.”
Success won’t come overnight, and it’s not to be expected. Batavia went 1-18 in its debut season in the IHSLA last spring. Before that, the team was playing in the NILAX league as Aurora Christian/Batavia.
“Every year it seems like we’ve gone through some drastic changes,” Batavia senior Ryan Murphy said. “We’re excited, though. Coach Romans knows everything about lacrosse. He’s the most knowledgeable guy I’ve ever met, and as a senior we’re definitely hoping he can help us do better than last year.”
While lacrosse continues to grow rapidly, high school teams aren’t often afforded the same luxury as basketball or baseball teams whose athletes usually have six or seven years of playing experience by the time they’re freshmen.
“You’re going to get your head handed to you as a program matures, and that’s something you just have to accept,” Salvati said. “You can’t compare a kid who has played since third grade to a bunch of guys who are picking up a stick for the first time. That’s why it’s important to teach fundamentals and to have someone like Sandy here, so that by the time the kids are in ninth grade, they want to be a part of the Bulldogs program.”
Just as Romans decided he wanted to be the team’s new coach.
“One of the things that’s unique with lacrosse is it’s big about giving back to people who have helped you with your career,” he said. “This is another chance for me to give back as well. I’m hopeful we can develop the program here. It’s going to be interesting to see how we do in this first year.”