Dominic Lamolinara knows he has to buy new khaki pants before January. His are too ratty to wear on the Carrier Dome sideline.

While earning credits to complete his graduation requirements, the former Syracuse goalkeeper has returned this season as a special assistant to the men’s lacrosse team. After starting 33 games for the Orange from 2012–14, Lamolinara’s aspirations to have a coaching career are now underway as he mentors SU’s goalies in anticipation of the spring season.

“I feel like now I’m a bridge between the coaches and players,” Lamolinara said. “If kids come to me with questions or need advice, I’m willing. If the coaches have questions about what’s going on with the team, I feel like they’re comfortable coming to me for that.”

Lamolinara, who finished his fourth year of eligibility last May, lost credits when he transferred from Maryland before the 2012 season. He has completed his political science major, has a couple of credits remaining for his coaching minor and will be an undergraduate assistant during the spring season.

Since NCAA rules allow just three full-time coaches, Syracuse’s goalies have previously been overlooked, Lamolinara said. But now they receive his full attention during practice.

The former SU goalkeeper reports directly to Syracuse assistant coach Kevin Donahue, who said all that separates Lamolinara from being a successful full-time coach is a chance.

“He’s got a sharp eye, sees the details and has a good common sense,” Donahue said. “He’s been trained, not just by us, but he’s had good training at the high school level and at Maryland. He understands how goalies get trained.”

Lamolinara has worked with high school keepers near his home in Annapolis, Maryland, and worked as a counselor at LB3 Lacrosse Club camps in Atlanta. This past summer, Lamolinara coached a team of high school players and traveled to tournaments in Florida and Kentucky.

“It definitely gave me a taste of what it’s like to be outside the field and playing lacrosse and I loved it still,” Lamolinara said. “I’m going to miss playing, but at the same time I love lacrosse too much to just walk away.”

Lamolinara received his first dose of game-like coaching at the Carrier Dome at the Orange Alumni Classic on Oct. 4. SU head coach John Desko even walked over to Lamolinara shortly before the game and asked him his opinion on how the team should divide its goalkeepers’ minutes.

Though he’s not in uniform, Lamolinara still makes his way out to SU practices every day at 3:30 p.m. alongside senior goalie Bobby Wardwell — whom he battled for time with over the past two seasons.

Wardwell said Lamolinara warms him up and routinely adds new drills.

“He really is a good motivator,” Wardwell said. “… Coach Donahue was getting spread a little thin last year between goalies and faceoffs. Now it’s nice to have someone who’s solely focused on the goalies. We can’t ever slack off.

“But I just call him Dom. I need to start calling him ‘Coach,’ though.”

Lamolinara introduced a drill where a shooter stands about 5–10 yards away from the cage and shoots at the corners of the net. Because the shooter is so close, the exercise forces Wardwell to keep his movements, including his false first step, concise.

This past week, Lamolinara spoke on the phone for 20 minutes with one of SU’s goalkeepers about where he stands on the depth chart and about how he can improve. But Lamolinara said he doesn’t quite have the authority to tell SU attack Randy Staats or Kevin Rice to do something better or take a lap.

Lamolinara said his ultimate goal at Syracuse still hasn’t changed since he transferred from Maryland — win a national championship.

But now the pursuit for a title will be in a different role — one he hopes he’ll thrive in for a while.

Said Lamolinara: “Working with the highest-level goalies and seeing them get better every day and hoping that I had something to do with it, it’s a good feeling.”

Published on October 28, 2014 at 12:05 am

Contact Josh: jmhyber@syr.edu