Reading (Mass.) High boys lacrosse coach Rob Parkin on Division 2 culture

Kyle Devitte and Owen Hart interview Reading (Mass.) High School boys lacrosse head coach Rob Parkin about Reading’s 5–0 start and an emotional regular-season rematch with Billerica after last year’s 17–16 championship loss, emphasizing resilience, preparation and the team motto “attitude is everything.” Parkin discusses sportsmanship and Massachusetts lacrosse community ties, Division 2’s depth and tiers, the importance of playing elite competition, and building culture through stakeholder buy-in and strong youth programs. He describes learning under legendary coach Charlie Hardy, offers recruiting advice focused on fit and greater high school coach involvement, addresses public vs. Catholic-school tension and a possible Catholic Cup, downplays rankings, and highlights this year’s balance, experience and state-title expectations. Topics 01:48 JV Coaching Chaos 03:28 Reading's Hot Start 03:44 Billerica Rematch 06:15 Classy Coach Moment 08:47 Division 2 Tiers 10:33 Building A Program 14:01 Learning Under Hardy 18:24 Recruiting the Right Fit 23:22 Recruiting Through Coaches 24:19 Club vs. High School 27:02 Reading Kids and Parents 28:41 Empowering Player Decisions 31:19 Public vs. Catholic Debate 34:20 Do Rankings Matter? 40:32 Team Balance and Goals 42:55 Wrap-Up and Thanks