Shay, U.S. Continue to Learn About Sixes During Atlas Cup
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© 2025 USA Lacrosse. All Rights Reserved.
© 2025 USA Lacrosse. All Rights Reserved.
SPARKS, Md. — With each passing sixes camp, practice, game and event, U.S. Men’s Sixes National Team head coach Andy Shay is learning. It comes with the territory.
Shay helmed the team at The World Games 2022 in Birmingham, Ala., earning a silver medal while witnessing firsthand how the box roots of Team Canada lead to success in the small-sided discipline.
Even while coaching the team again this weekend at the first-ever Atlas Cup at USA Lacrosse headquarters, Shay was taking notes on what worked well for the other teams — Canada, Puerto Rico and the Haudenosaunee.
“One-hundred percent,” Shay said when asked if he was taking mental notes. “[Canada assistant] John Grant Jr. and I are very close, and I was busting his chops today. He’s like, ‘Don’t steal my stuff.’”
Grant Jr. was joking, of course, but every sixes team could benefit from watching Team Canada. With their box lacrosse roots, Canadian players fit seamlessly into the sixes style.
Shay thinks the United States’ growth in sixes comes from having more young athletes play box. Or perhaps just more sixes. He knows his opinion isn’t popular among purists.
“I was talking to [USA Lacrosse CEO] Marc Riccio, I don’t think young kids should have long poles in their hands,” he said. “I think they should be playing this. It’s just more touches. It’s a great version of the game, in my opinion.”
The U.S. had its stars and standout performers in a second-place finish at Atlas Cup. Mac O’Keefe scored six goals in Sunday’s 21-13 win over the Haudenosaunee, and Matt Brandau had four assists.
Shay couldn’t pick just one or two guys who stood out. At an event like Atlas Cup with three games over three days in unseasonably warm weather, everyone needed to step up.
“I’m impressed with the humility of these guys,” Shay said. “That was a grind. That’s as tired as I’ve ever had a team, and they fought through it.”
Next up for Shay and the U.S. is a trip up North to Canada’s Super Sixes event next month. It’s another chance to compete and learn on the road to the LA28 Olympics.
Despite it being Cornell’s alumni weekend and the moment Willem Firth was to receive his 2025 NCAA championship ring, Firth opted to skip the ring presentation to represent Canada for the first time.
He had three goals and four assists in Sunday’s 26-11 win over Puerto Rico and even earned a spot on the all-tournament team in his first taste of high-level international competition. Canada went 3-0 to win the Atlas Cup title.
“Anytime you put the jersey on, you obviously want to win,” Firth said.
Firth learned he was invited to play sixes at the Atlas Cup about a month ago when he received a call from Canada head coach Ed Comeau. Firth was out golfing with his brother when the phone rang. Unfortunately, the exciting news did little for his golf game.
“It was bad,” Firth said. “I think I had a triple bogey the next hole.”
Jeff Teat, Canada*
Brett Dobson, Canada
Willem Firth, Canada
Matt Brandau, United States
Ryan Terefenko, United States
Jake Piseno, Haudenosaunee
*Titan Award winner
Friday, Sept. 26
Women: Canada 22, Puerto Rico 8
Box Score | Replay
Men: Canada 24, Haudenosaunee 16
Box Score | Replay
Men: United States 23, Puerto Rico 13
Box Score | Replay
Women: United States 18, Haudenosaunee 5
Box Score | Replay
Saturday, Sept. 27
Men: Haudenosaunee 25, Puerto Rico 13
Box Score | Replay
Women: Canada 13, Haudenosaunee 6
Box Score | Replay
Women: United States 24, Puerto Rico 9
Box Score | Replay
Men: Canada 23, United States 18
Box Score | Replay
Sunday, Sept. 28
Women: Haudenosaunee 11. Puerto Rico 10 (overtime)
Box Score | Replay
Women: United States 18, Canada 11
Box Score | Replay
Kenny DeJohn has been the Digital Content Editor at USA Lacrosse since 2019. First introduced to lacrosse in 2016 as a Newsday Sports reporter on Long Island (yes, ON Long Island), DeJohn specializes in women's game coverage. His search for New York quality pizza in Baltimore is ongoing.
