This month's featured hardshell is Joe Cummings, a two-time All-American who helped the Terps advance to two straight National Championship games in 2011 and 2012. Cummings was recently named the head coach of the Charlotte Hounds of the MLL, where he spent the 2014 team as a player. 

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How did the opportunity to become the head coach in Charlotte present itself? What excites you about starting this new chapter in your lacrosse career? 
"The lacrosse world is a small world where you are able to keep up with relationships from over the years as a player. After coach [Jim] Stagnitta acknowledged that he would be resigning, I just reached out to Vice President Wade Leaphart about the opportunity to step in and coach…I got a call in January from Hounds Coach Mike Cerino asking if we could go to lunch to talk about the head coaching position. It was such an awesome opportunity that came at such a wild time. I walked away excited about the idea of it, but I wanted to go through the proper channels and make sure my wife, friends, and mentors were in on the decision with me. At the end of the day, it felt like a really great opportunity to throw all my chips into and I'm excited to grow as coach. I'm going to make a lot of mistakes but I'm going to try to do it going a hundred miles per hour. I am going to do the best that I can with the opportunity I have been given. I hope I can build relationships with these young guys…I am excited to help come into the MLL and be a part of the solution with the changes being made to redefine the Hounds culture, which is the similar vision we had at Maryland."

How do you best envision bringing together your team? 
"It is a hard thing. I think acknowledging that it's a challenge is important, but it can't be an excuse. We have to talk to these guys and assume relationships. When you're in college you have a lot of shared experiences over those four years, with each team you are on. We need to figure out a way to relate to each other on a different, deeper level and build some chemistry off the field. It's also important to define a standard when playing and then let those players play. My role will be holding them to that standard and harp on the small important details. But, we aren't going to micromanage because they are professional lacrosse players who want to play. We are going to try to put them in situations where they can be successful, but they have to go out their and make the plays themselves and be professionals. If you can win in the locker room first, what happens on the field will take care of itself which is a really big theme we will bring."

You had a front row seat for Coach Tillman's early days in College Park, being a part of his first two teams at Maryland – What about Coach Tillman made the transition the first few years seem so seamless, being able to advance to two straight national championship games?
"One of the things that makes Coach Tillman great is that he is a teacher at his core. I really appreciated his consistent message of teachable moments. There were things and situations that we could learn from each other as a team that would ultimately help us grow. What you saw was a group of talented players taking this opportunity to grow. We went through some hard times, especially our senior year, but I really valued the coach's focus on getting better and being held to a certain standard in that year. He is one of the best teachers in the game and I give him a lot of credit for establishing a culture early on. What he was teaching us carried over into life after the game. You now see with Maryland Lacrosse building successful teams, but also successful men who do great things. He really utilizes those four years to teach young men what it means to be a man. I look back on those two years every day and always end up drawing a message from Coach Tillman in my everyday life. I feel very fortunate that I got to play for and have a friendship with Coach Tillman."

What made your overall experience at Maryland such a positive one? What did you love about being a Terp?    
"It's the people, there's no doubt about it. You have some of the best players in that varsity team house, but even greater people. That separates Maryland Lacrosse culture and makes them the strongest in the nation. There are really good people who care about Maryland Lacrosse. My parents are still so close with fellow parents and other people from their experience with Maryland Lacrosse. There's no substitute for that."

Now that you're in the professional coaching ranks, will you have an even deeper interest in watching the college game? Any Terps on your radar?  
"I will definitely be keeping an eye out on the Terps all year, which I already have been doing. I am excited to see how these brilliant minds think about the shot clock differently than how the MLL has thought about it. The one thing I know about Coach Tillman, he's always looking for a way to get that advantage. I'm excited to see the team that's coming back, it's going to be a great season. I can't wait to see how Jared Bernhardt plays after watching him years ago with his older brother when he was still in middle school."