My Story Part 2, Syracuse Lacrosse and Gary Gait + his shooting drill

Hey again,

Thanks for coming back for part two of my story.

After falling in love with lacrosse in middle school, I had a solid high school field career. I stood out in Northern California, especially during one all-star event where I scored 11 goals — easily a career highlight.

But even with that success, something always felt off.

I never fully understood the game of field lacrosse. I was just better than most kids around me because I worked harder and cared more. That made the team aspect tougher because no one had the same WHY as me. I craved identity and connection — teammates who wanted what I wanted. To be apart of a championship culture. But I never had that in high school. Not once.

Because of that, I didn’t understand how valuable I could be to a team.

I started my college career at Fontbonne University and earned a starting spot right away. But the culture wasn’t what I needed, so I came home.

That’s when I met Shaydon Santos, the founder of the U.S. Box Lacrosse Association, personal friend and my first mentor. Now the largest box lacrosse organization in the U.S. with over 40,000 members. He partnered with Matt Brown from the University of Denver to build something huge.

But back then, it was just starting. And I was there. Coaching along side NLL Pros and high level Division 1 coaches. I was just some kid from California and I walked into an amazing situation, I got the community I craved as a high schooler at 20 years old. I was learning from some of the best players and coaches in the world and then getting to teach it.

I was in heaven and I was taking it all in! Then we took teams to Canada and I was hooked! The speed, the skill, the IQ, the physicality — box lacrosse demanded everything. It was gritty, cerebral, and team-first. I became a believer overnight.

Now let’s switch gears for a minute.

We’re here to help your athlete get better — and today, I want to introduce you to one of lacrosse’s most legendary players: Gary Gait.

If you know lacrosse, you know Syracuse Lacrosse — a true powerhouse. And Gary Gait, originally from Victoria, British Columbia, was one of the first Canadians to break into the U.S. college lacrosse scene and completely change the game.

Alongside his twin brother, Paul, Gary set numerous NCAA scoring records, all american and led Syracuse to multiple championships. But beyond the stats, Gary is famous for revolutionizing the sport’s creativity and style.

Why is Gary Gait iconic?

On a personal note, I’m proud to say two of my players, Caden Cole and Donnie Scott, are now on the Syracuse roster — both phenomenal athletes who honed their skills playing box lacrosse under my coaching.

Gary’s secret?
His accuracy, quick wrists, and unmatched creativity. Check out one of his signature shooting drills below to help sharpen your own game.

I learned this drill from a Gary Gait Shooting VHS tape back in the day and I want to share it with you now.

If you want to be great, you have to hit your spots. It sounds simple, but consistent accuracy is rare — and deadly.

Here’s a simple drill you can do today:

The 5-Ball Accuracy Challenge

This is how you train your brain to perform under pressure — to execute with precision when it counts.

I’m focused on sharing my knowledge with the world. If this was helpful to you or your athlete please let me know! I would love to hear from you!

And if you think someone else needs to hear this — send it their way. Let’s keep building.

And and if you want to train with me I’ll be dropping my training schedule this Sunday! Follow along for more!

Talk soon,
Coach Elliott
The Box Lacrosse Guy