About Rogue Lacrosse
Our Story
The Late Start
I didn’t grow up with a stick in my hand. I didn’t play travel ball at ten or get recruited at fourteen. I picked up a lacrosse stick for the first time as a freshman at Saratoga Springs High School, and from the moment I did, I knew I’d found my game.
The problem was that everyone around me had a five-year head start. They had the footwork, the stick skills, the game sense that comes from growing up in the sport. I had effort and a refusal to be outworked. That was it.
What I didn’t have in experience, I made up for with hours. Before school, after school, weekends. I chased every opportunity to get better because I knew the gap was real—and I knew it was closable if I was willing to do what other people weren’t.
The Long Road
After graduating from Saratoga Springs in 2002, I went to Bridgton Academy in Maine for a post-graduate year to keep developing. That year, my game took off. I was recruited by some of the best programs in the country—UNC, Towson, Hofstra, UMass, Loyola, and others. Division I coaches were calling. The opportunity was right there.
But my grades from high school weren’t good enough. I couldn’t qualify academically for Division I. Every one of those opportunities slipped away—not because I couldn’t play, but because I hadn’t taken the classroom seriously enough when it mattered. That was the hardest lesson of my life, and it’s one I share with every young player I coach today: your grades matter as much as your game. The fastest stick in the world won’t help you if you can’t get into the school.
So I took the long road. I enrolled at Hartwick College in 2004, but I still had my sights set on D1. I transferred to Essex Community College in 2005, got my academics right, and played in the NJCAA National Championship that year. That season proved two things: that I could compete with anyone on the field, and that when I finally committed to the classroom the way I’d committed to the game, doors started opening again.
The biggest door opened at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. At UMBC, I played two seasons as a midfielder, helped lead the Retrievers to the NCAA Tournament both years, and was part of the team that made the program’s first-ever national quarterfinals appearance in 2007. I earned my degree in Financial Economics in 2009. The kid who almost lost his shot because of grades had made it to Division I, competed on the national stage, and earned his diploma.
Going Pro
In the 2008 MLL Draft, the Boston Cannons selected me in the fourth round—the 46th overall pick. The kid who didn’t touch a lacrosse stick until ninth grade was now a professional lacrosse player.
I spent five seasons in Major League Lacrosse: two with the Boston Cannons (2008–09), two with the Chicago Machine (2010–11), and one with the Ohio Machine (2012). Every season reinforced the same lesson—talent matters, but it’s the players who prepare the hardest and study the game the deepest who last at that level.
From the Field to the Sideline
While I was still playing professionally, I started coaching. What began as a way to give back became a second calling. I've coached at programs across the Division I and Division III levels, and at my alma mater:
Skidmore College (2010–11) — Helped coach three All-Americans and led the program to the Liberty League Championship.
Saratoga Springs High School (2011–13) — Returned home as assistant coach and offensive coordinator for my alma mater.
Siena College (2015–16) — Coached at the Division I level in the MAAC conference, right here in the Capital District.
RPI (2018–20) — Coached at one of the most storied Division III programs in the country, in the Liberty League.
Those years on the sideline gave me something I couldn’t have gotten any other way: I learned how to teach the game, not just play it. I learned how to break down a skill, read a player’s potential, and build a development plan that meets each kid where they are.
Building Rogue
I founded Rogue Lacrosse in 2008 with Kyle Hartzell—my teammate, a Team USA gold medalist, and now a high school head coach in Park City, Utah. The idea was simple: give young players access to the kind of coaching that changed my life.
In the early years, Rogue was national. We ran camps in Arizona, Texas, New Orleans, Florida, and New York. We brought pro players and college coaches to communities that had never seen that level of instruction. It was an incredible run.
But over time, I realized the biggest impact I could make wasn’t spread across the country—it was right here at home. Today, Rogue Lacrosse is focused entirely on the Capital District: Saratoga Springs, Albany, Clifton Park, and the surrounding communities. This is where I grew up. This is where I started. And this is where I can do the most good.
The Rogue Difference
Rogue isn’t a club team. We don’t run travel programs or chase tournament trophies. We exist for one reason: to make players better.
Every camp, clinic, league, and lesson we offer is designed around skill development, lacrosse IQ, and competitive play. Our coaching staff isn’t made up of former players who retired years ago—they’re active college coaches and professionals who are in the game right now:
Tim Cox — Head Coach, Siena University Men's Lacrosse. 2026 MAAC Coach of the Year. 2025 MAAC Tournament Champion.
Liam Guiton — Assistant Coach, UAlbany Men's Lacrosse.
Shonly Wallace — Assistant Coach, UAlbany Women's Lacrosse. 2x Team Canada silver medalist.
James Dowell — Assistant Coach, Union College Women's Lacrosse.
When your kid trains at Rogue, they’re learning from coaches who are actively recruiting, actively competing, and actively shaping the game at the highest levels. That’s not a tagline. That’s the reality of every session we run.
We partner with the PLL and the WLL to bring professional-level programming to our Sixes League. We run summer camps at Shenendehowa and the University at Albany. We offer year-round clinics for boys and girls, grades 3 through 12, at every skill level.
No tryouts required. No prior experience necessary. Just show up ready to work.
Why I Do This
I know what it’s like to be behind. I know what it feels like to look around and see kids who’ve been playing since they were six while you’re still figuring out how to cradle. I know the gap feels impossible to close.
But I also know that it’s not. I’m living proof. I went from picking up a stick as a freshman in Saratoga Springs to getting drafted by the Boston Cannons. The difference wasn’t talent—it was coaching, commitment, and the belief that if you’re willing to put in the work, you can get there.
I also know what it’s like to have the talent and lose the opportunity. I was recruited by UNC, Towson, Hofstra, UMass, and Loyola—and I couldn’t go to any of them because of my grades. That’s why at Rogue, we don’t just develop lacrosse players. We develop student-athletes. We talk about the classroom. We talk about what coaches are really looking for in a recruit. We make sure that when the opportunity comes, our players are ready for it—on the field and in the classroom.
I take a personal interest in every player I come in contact with because I know what quality coaching can do. It changed my life. Rogue exists to change yours.
— Josh Porcell
Founder & CEO, Rogue Lacrosse
Est. 2008 | Saratoga Springs, NY
Cancellation & Weather Policies
Cancellation Policy
We all have events that occur that may prevent a player from attending a camp or clinic. A full camp/clinic credit will be offered if a written/email notice is received within 7 days of the start of the player’s camp/clinic. If the player cancels, in writing/email, with less than 7 days before the start, regardless of the reason, a credit will be issued for 50% of the total amount paid. Cancellation made in writing/email within 3 days before a camp or clinic will result in a full forfeiture of funds paid and no credit will be issued. Rogue credits are to be used by the player or are transferable to another immediate family member and are good for one year from the date issued. No credit or refunds will be offered for players after the start of camp/clinic or for players who arrive late or leave early. PHONE calls or text messages are NOT ACCEPTED as notices of withdrawal from a camp or clinic. No Cash refunds are offered for any Rogue programs.
**Weather Policy**
Weather Policy – Rogue Lacrosse
All Rogue Lacrosse programs, including camps, clinics, training sessions, leagues, tournaments, and events, are conducted at rented outdoor or turf facilities and are therefore subject to weather conditions, facility availability, and decisions made by third-party facility operators.
Rogue Lacrosse operates on a rain-or-shine basis whenever field conditions, facility policies, and safety considerations permit. Sessions, practices, games, or portions thereof may be modified, shortened, delayed, relocated (if feasible), rescheduled by the facility, or canceled due to inclement weather or related facility decisions. Such conditions and decisions include, but are not limited to:
- Rain, lightning, high winds, extreme heat or cold, poor field/turf conditions, or other adverse weather events;
- Snow accumulation, ice, or frozen surfaces that render the facility unusable;
- Facility-specific closure policies or directives issued by the turf facility operator, management, or governing authority.
In circumstances where the rented turf facility is closed, restricted, or otherwise unavailable due to weather-related concerns (for example, snow, ice, flooding, or lightning within the facility’s safety protocols), such closures are entirely outside the control of Rogue Lacrosse. Rogue Lacrosse does not own, manage, or operate the facility and has no authority over its opening, closing, or operational decisions.
No Refunds, Credits, Prorations, or Make-Up Sessions for Weather-Related Interruptions Rogue Lacrosse will not issue any refunds, credits, prorated adjustments, make-up sessions, or other forms of compensation to players, participants, or registrants for any session, day, or portion of a program that is canceled, shortened, delayed, rescheduled, or otherwise affected by weather conditions or by decisions of the rented facility operator. Registration fees cover participation in the scheduled program as planned, with the explicit understanding that outdoor and turf-based activities are subject to weather variability and third-party facility policies beyond Rogue’s control.
Participants and families are strongly encouraged to monitor local weather forecasts, facility announcements, and Rogue Lacrosse communications (via website, email, app notifications, or other designated channels) and to prepare accordingly for potential interruptions.
Safety remains the highest priority. In the event of severe weather, including lightning, decisions regarding continuation, suspension, or evacuation will follow applicable safety guidelines (e.g., National Weather Service lightning safety recommendations) and directives from facility staff.
This policy forms an integral part of all registration agreements and terms of participation. By registering for any Rogue Lacrosse program, participants and their legal guardians acknowledge, understand, and accept these terms in full.