By Zach Gilbert
The Palladium-Times
http://www.palltimes.com/sports/x1751707991/Fulton-native-hired-to-coach-lacrosse-at-Mercy-College

Sun Nov 09, 2008, 09:11 PM EST

Fulton, N.Y. - Mercy College, located in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., has hired Fulton native Steve Manitta as the school's first men's lacrosse head coach.

The school is hoping that Manitta will lead the new NCAA Division II program to success in the East Coast Conference, one of the toughest Division II lacrosse conferences in the country.

Manitta was a member of the Fulton Raiders varsity lacrosse teams his junior and senior years under coach Jim Werbeck in 1987 and '88. He also played at SUNY Morrisville, earning all-region honors as a midfielder in 1989.

As a coach, he has been successful in building Chatham High School into a New Jersey state championship contender. He is the winningest coach in school history, having amassed a 115-47 record from 2001-08. He has also produced five All-Americans at Chatham, including 2008 New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Player of the Year Peter Coleman.

In his first season, he coached the first state-ranked team in school history. The team eventually reached No. 7 in the state in 2006.

Manitta said that he is hoping to have similar success at Mercy College.

"We want to be competitive and make an impact right away," he said.

It figures to be difficult. Manitta said that the ECC is "without a doubt the top conference (for lacrosse) in Division II," but added that he can lure talented players to Dobbs Ferry by offering them a chance to be part of the beginning of something special.

The school itself is located in a veritable hotbed of high school lacrosse. Manitta said he has been talking to players in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, and said he has "stolen kids from Division I programs" who are looking to play right away.

He said that he is providing an opportunity for players that they would not have been given at larger, more established programs like Syracuse. "Rather than having talented kids go to a bigger program and sit on a bench for three seasons, we are offering them a chance to play four years and make a name for themselves," Manitta said.

Perhaps the most challenging part of building a lacrosse program from scratch is getting the first commitments. Manitta said that since his first recruit gave him a verbal commitment, it has gotten easier to convince other players that the program is legitimate.

"It was like a line of dominoes," he said. "Once the first kids started falling into place, it got a lot easier to bring other players on board. Just getting the kids to believe in it and getting the right kids there is tough."

As far as strategy on the field is concerned, Manitta said he believes "the ball moves quicker in the air." He wants his team to play an up-tempo style and push the pace offensively. "We can't be afraid to make mistakes," he said.

He also said that he wants his team to play with a chip on its shoulder. Just because the program is in its infant stages compared to conference powerhouses like New York Institute of Technology, Adelphi, and C.W. Post/Long Island University, it shouldn't be afraid or apprehensive on the field.

It is a style that has served him well throughout his playing days and coaching career. He credits much of his approach to his Oswego County upbringing.

"You've got to have a little bit of grit to grow up in central New York," Manitta said. "Hopefully, we can bring a little bit of that grit down here to Dobbs Ferry."

Athletes interested in playing for Manitta at Mercy should contact him at 914-674-7220 or via e-mail at athletics@mercy.edu.