Eric Wolf drove about two hours, from Albany, N.Y. to Cortland, N.Y. in late September, put on his pads, cleats and helmet, and revisited his life as a lacrosse player.

He was suiting up for the Israeli lacrosse team, which was playing games in Central New York to build chemistry before international competition. And it created an opportunity that Wolf couldn’t turn down.

“Whether as a player or as a staff, I just want to be a part of it,” Wolf said. “Because it means a lot to me and my family.”

Wolf is currently an assistant coach at Albany — which will visit the Carrier Dome to play Syracuse on Sunday — and received exciting news right before the season. He was named an assistant coach for the Israeli national team when the roster for the 2014 World Championship was announced in mid-January. The event will be held in Denver, and Wolf is one of five assistants for the team.

“I think it’s really going to be priceless,” Wolf said. “I can’t wait to get out there.”

Adam Crystal, Wolf’s best friend from childhood and groomsman at his wedding, is a member of the Israeli national team. In September, Crystal told him that the team would be scrimmaging against Syracuse, Siena and the Iroquois Nationals in Cortland.

Wolf contacted Scott Neiss, executive director of the Israel Lacrosse Association, the night before the scrimmages and volunteered to play with the team.

“On the field we saw a lot of leadership, we saw a lot of good things,” Neiss said. “Right away our coaches identified him as someone that could help us.”

Within the next couple weeks, Wolf’s role with team Israel was discussed. With his background as a coach in Division I, the idea that Wolf could be on the staff came into shape as a result of the skills he displayed in Cortland.

The Israel Lacrosse Association, which was founded in 2010 by Neiss, will be participating in the World Championship for the first time in their history.

As the offensive coordinator for the Great Danes, he leads arguably the best attack in the NCAA. Wolf has proven to have a keen eye for talent, and to possess an ability to dissect defenses.

“He’s constantly, constantly thinking the game,” Albany head coach Scott Marr said. “He’s very, very cerebral. He understands the nuances of the game and has an ability to problem solve and move on to the next play or next strategy against a different team or a different defense.”

Although the team is representing Israel, the 46-man roster – which will be trimmed to 23 by July – consists of 26 Americans. Two players, Casey Cittadino and Crystal are from Wolf’s hometown, Baldwin, N.Y.

Crystal is comforted by having someone he’s known for a while and someone he can trust as his coach.

“He knows the game and I don’t think you can question that,” Crystal said. “If he has an idea in his head, you know it’s coming from a good place and from someone who knows what they’re talking about.”

Wolf will join an already loaded coaching staff. Head coach Bill Beroza and assistant coach Mark Greenberg are both members of the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in the United States. Assistant Jeff Goldberg has close to 30 years of coaching experience.

Neiss says Wolf’s youthful, energetic vibe makes him a good fit with the team.

“He’s younger in age to those guys and probably connects better with a lot of the players and adds an element to our staff,” Neiss said. “It’s another dynamic that we might have been lacking a little bit.”

Neiss and Wolf both view Israel lacrosse as a long-term project and see themselves working together for an extended period of time.

In order for Israel to gain respect internationally, a program must be cultivated over time. Wolf said that he is hoping to stick with Israel lacrosse not just for a few years, but for the rest of his life.

“He’s getting to the point where he’s been around for a long enough time to see how things develop,” Marr said. “Being able to recruit kids and bring them in and see them develop. That certainly, I think, will bring some positives to the program.”

Competing in a World Championship is unchartered territory for Israel lacrosse, and Wolf’s excitement is elevated as a result.

“I always say I bleed purple and gold, but I’m pretty excited to be bleeding blue and white once we get out there with Team Israel,” Wolf said. “And again, the biggest thing for me is just to represent my people, my culture and my family.

“I can’t say how much that means to me.”

Published on February 15, 2014 at 4:31 pm

Contact Paul: pmschwed@syr.edu | @pschweds