Client Case Study: Using the help of Focus on the Field, the SoCal Devils provide a premium club experience to a wide array of competitive players

By Connor Buestad

After spending decades serving in the Navy, as well as playing and coaching lacrosse across the country, Mike Dasch wanted to realize his vision of creating a lacrosse club that kids and families would fall in love with, all while working extremely hard in every aspect of the sport. Dasch envisioned a no nonsense club that played some of the best competition around, but also welcomed in various levels of players from diverse economic backgrounds. The club motto is displayed proudly on their website, “No Politics... Just Lacrosse and Player Development,” and Coach Dasch and the SoCal Devils staff works tirelessly to live up to that vision. 

Like so many ambassadors of the game of lacrosse, Dasch grew up on the East Coast on Long Island, playing the game every chance he had. That didn’t change when he moved on to college and kept his career going, and then even after college when he joined the Navy. Lacrosse was always a part of his life wherever his transient career took him. 

“Wherever I was stationed, no matter the town, city, or country, I always had my stick with me and I’d always try to find a way to get involved with lacrosse locally,” recalls Dasch. “It follows me wherever I go.”

In recent years, Dasch has laid roots down in the San Diego area where he has raised three boys, all of which have played lacrosse. For the last nine seasons, Dasch has been the head coach at Mt. Carmel High School, the home of the CIF D2 lacrosse state champions in 2015. 

“I’ve had a great time coaching at the high school level. But at the same time I knew how much opportunity I could provide at the club level. I wanted to create something that was very straightforward. Something that was all about the game itself and getting players better every day. My staff and I enjoy helping provide the tools for players to get better,” explains Dasch.

In just its first season of existence, the SoCal Devils already have two girls teams and three boys teams up and running, all playing at a high level and receiving top-notch high school coaching. The goal is to send players back to their high school teams better when they arrived on the field with the Devils. 

With roughly 110 players, represented by over 20 different high schools, in his program and seven total coaches, Dasch realized early on that a company like Focus on the Field could really help him in maintaining a first class organization. Dasch prides himself on giving great value for the price of playing in his club, including free photos and video to help with recruiting, access to great tournaments, top-notch uniforms, college lacrosse preparation, and more. Dasch stresses that he wants to provide value to all of his players, while still maintaining great affordability and access. He hates turning away potential players who love the game.

Focus on the Field has provided exactly the helping hand Dasch has needed to get his program off the ground and running at full speed as the club continues to grow. FOTF has helped Dasch and the Devils with proper registration, email reminders and correspondence, social media presence, onboarding and maintaining coaches using proper protocols, hotel reservations, and scheduling tournaments and practice field time. 

“They have been there for a lot of our growth and success,'' says Dasch. “We are still new and still growing, so it’s great to have a partner that is experienced and professional in all of these administrative processes. They are a great sounding board and a reliable partner.” 

Dasch is well aware of the fact that starting a new lacrosse club in Southern California can be a competitive endeavour. There are many premier club teams that traditionally do a great job and provide a great service to their members. The SoCal Devils aspire to obtain a similar level of excellence, all while keeping dues as affordable and transparent as possible. 

As Dasch’s sons move on to college and the demands of his career in the Navy continue to grow, Dasch and the SoCal Devils have great motivation to create a very sustainable program that will provide high level lacrosse to youth for years. There is no doubt that the SoCal Devils are proud of the tradition they are trying to build and are confident in the people that are helping build it with them. For the SoCal Devils, the best is yet to come.