COACHING STAFF BIOS
STAFF BIOS
STAFF BIOS
CHRISTIAN ZWICKERT
Head Coach
Coach Zwickert will lead this new lacrosse nation to the 2010 World Championships in
Manchester, England.
Zwickert is no stranger to International play. A former midfielder and attackman for the German
National Team, Zwickert competed in the 1998 World Games in Baltimore, MD and the European
Championships in 1999 in Manchester, England garnering "Man of the Match" vs. Wales and
England in the Championship game and in 2000 in Glasgow, Scotland. In 2001, Zwickert lead
Germany as head coach for the European Championships in Cardiff, Wales to a perfect 6-0
defeating England twice to capture Germany's first European trophy.
Christian Zwickert has been the head coach at Wesley College in Dover, DE for the past 5 seasons
compiling a .714 win percentage, 5 straight conference playoff appearances and Coach of the
Year in 2004.
Zwickert served as an assistant coach for Providence, Dartmouth and Franklin and Marshall
Colleges and Drexel University.
CHRIS BURDICK
Assistant Coach
Chris Burdick enters his 11th season as head coach at Providence College playing in the newly
formed Big East Conference.
While at PC, Burdick has guided his team to 8 consecutive MAAC tournaments 4 regular season
titles with 3NCAA berths. Burdick was names 2008 Anaconda MAAC Coach of the Year and was
Head Coach for USILA North/South Senior All-Star Game in 2003.
Burdick, a former standout goalkeeper for University of Delaware, has coached at Notre Dame,
Delaware, UMass and Cornell as an assistant coach with experience coaching in every facet of
the game.
CHIP CASTO
Assistant Coach
Chip Casto brings 19 years of coaching experience to the Polish National Team Staff.
Casto, a 4x Div. 3 National Champion at Hobart College in NY began coaching at Notre Dame.
After leaving ND he returned home to Montclair High School in NJ where he served as Asst.
Coach/Offensive Coordinator for 15 years. In 2008, Chip was awarded the Assistant Coach of the
Year for NJ while coaching at Bergen Catholic HS.
ROBB CHAMBERS
Assistant Coach
Robb Chambers spent 8 years as a DI assistant coach (2 for his alma mater Providence College in
RI where he was a goalkeeper and 6 Sacred Heart University in CT). During his career he served
as Defensive/Recruiting Coordinator and Goalie Coach.
Chambers was a letter winner and team captain for the Friars on the lacrosse field. A 1999
graduate, Chambers is the school's all-time leader in saves, 2-time Defensive MVP, and played in
the New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association East/West All-Star Game his senior year.
JIM MASCIA
Assistant Coach
Jim Mascia completed his eighth season on the sidelines at Providence the Friar offense.
In his junior and senior seasons, he served as the team's face-off specialist. As senior captain
and two-time All-MAAC Academic Team selection, Mascia finished first in face-offs Mascia was a
four-year starter and defensive midfielder during his playing won per game, groundballs per game
and total groundballs recorded in NCAA Division I. He also finished among the top-10 in all other
significant face-off statistics. Mascia is the all-time leader at Providence with 256 career
groundballs.
A native of Parsippany, N.J., Mascia graduated from Providence Cum Laude in 1998 as a Dean's
List student. He earned a bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in English Writing.
JIM McCLEAFT
National Select Team Coach in Poland
Jim was a 4 year starter in goal at Wesley College.
In his senior year, he helped Wesley College to their four straight post-season appearances
becoming the all time Save Leader in Wesley College Men's Lacrosse and receiving Honorable
Mention All-American.
A native of Media, PA, Jim will be coaching the Polish National Select Team in preparations leading
up to 2010 World Games.
Head Coach
Coach Zwickert will lead this new lacrosse nation to the 2010 World Championships in
Manchester, England.
Zwickert is no stranger to International play. A former midfielder and attackman for the German
National Team, Zwickert competed in the 1998 World Games in Baltimore, MD and the European
Championships in 1999 in Manchester, England garnering "Man of the Match" vs. Wales and
England in the Championship game and in 2000 in Glasgow, Scotland. In 2001, Zwickert lead
Germany as head coach for the European Championships in Cardiff, Wales to a perfect 6-0
defeating England twice to capture Germany's first European trophy.
Christian Zwickert has been the head coach at Wesley College in Dover, DE for the past 5 seasons
compiling a .714 win percentage, 5 straight conference playoff appearances and Coach of the
Year in 2004.
Zwickert served as an assistant coach for Providence, Dartmouth and Franklin and Marshall
Colleges and Drexel University.
CHRIS BURDICK
Assistant Coach
Chris Burdick enters his 11th season as head coach at Providence College playing in the newly
formed Big East Conference.
While at PC, Burdick has guided his team to 8 consecutive MAAC tournaments 4 regular season
titles with 3NCAA berths. Burdick was names 2008 Anaconda MAAC Coach of the Year and was
Head Coach for USILA North/South Senior All-Star Game in 2003.
Burdick, a former standout goalkeeper for University of Delaware, has coached at Notre Dame,
Delaware, UMass and Cornell as an assistant coach with experience coaching in every facet of
the game.
CHIP CASTO
Assistant Coach
Chip Casto brings 19 years of coaching experience to the Polish National Team Staff.
Casto, a 4x Div. 3 National Champion at Hobart College in NY began coaching at Notre Dame.
After leaving ND he returned home to Montclair High School in NJ where he served as Asst.
Coach/Offensive Coordinator for 15 years. In 2008, Chip was awarded the Assistant Coach of the
Year for NJ while coaching at Bergen Catholic HS.
ROBB CHAMBERS
Assistant Coach
Robb Chambers spent 8 years as a DI assistant coach (2 for his alma mater Providence College in
RI where he was a goalkeeper and 6 Sacred Heart University in CT). During his career he served
as Defensive/Recruiting Coordinator and Goalie Coach.
Chambers was a letter winner and team captain for the Friars on the lacrosse field. A 1999
graduate, Chambers is the school's all-time leader in saves, 2-time Defensive MVP, and played in
the New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association East/West All-Star Game his senior year.
JIM MASCIA
Assistant Coach
Jim Mascia completed his eighth season on the sidelines at Providence the Friar offense.
In his junior and senior seasons, he served as the team's face-off specialist. As senior captain
and two-time All-MAAC Academic Team selection, Mascia finished first in face-offs Mascia was a
four-year starter and defensive midfielder during his playing won per game, groundballs per game
and total groundballs recorded in NCAA Division I. He also finished among the top-10 in all other
significant face-off statistics. Mascia is the all-time leader at Providence with 256 career
groundballs.
A native of Parsippany, N.J., Mascia graduated from Providence Cum Laude in 1998 as a Dean's
List student. He earned a bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in English Writing.
JIM McCLEAFT
National Select Team Coach in Poland
Jim was a 4 year starter in goal at Wesley College.
In his senior year, he helped Wesley College to their four straight post-season appearances
becoming the all time Save Leader in Wesley College Men's Lacrosse and receiving Honorable
Mention All-American.
A native of Media, PA, Jim will be coaching the Polish National Select Team in preparations leading
up to 2010 World Games.
BOB BIESCHKE
General Manager
A lacrosse player and coach, Bieschke played midfield in high school and coached recreational,
JV and Varsity helping Joppatowne to a Division championship in 2007. He also competed on
Centurion team SOLE', Sons of Europe at 2006 World Games and played defense for FCA
Grandmasters.
TOMEK KEDZIA
Polish Lacrosse Liaison to F.I.L.
During the Summer of 2006, Tomek Kedzia saw lacrosse for the first time while living in the
Czech Republic. After doing more research about the game he realized that the game had never
been played or even heard of in Poland. After speaking with Peter Mundy – President of the
European Lacrosse Federation, Kedzia interested several others in the game from his city college
in Wroclaw, Poland. Shortly after the first lacrosse club was started - Kosynierzy Wroclaw. In
April 2008, while serving as midfielder/manager of his team, Kedzia scored the first goal in the
first field lacrosse game ever in Poland versus Poznan Hussars.
While spending time in the United States during the Summer of 2008, Kedzia met Bob Bieschke
(now General Manager) via e-mail through Joe Gold and Pawel Godlewski (former Lynchburg
College player who assists with player recruitment for Team Poland) who offered their help in
organization of Poland National Team.
During the 2008 European Championships this past Summer in Lahti, Finland, Kedzia served as
Poland’s first delegate during Federation of International Lacrosse meetings.
DR. DOUGLAS WRIGHT, Team Physician
Dr. Wright was a high school lacrosse player in New York at Ryder High School. He continued
playing in college at the club level at Georgia Tech University.
Dr. Wright is now an Orthopedic Surgeon at Upper Chesepeake Medical Center in Maryland.
SAM GLOVER
Polish Lacrosse Team Liaison Officer from F.I.L.
A 2005 graduate of Wesley College, Sam rejoins his former coach, Christian Zwickert, for the first
time since leaving the US. A native of Sheffield, England, Sam was a captain his Senior year
having played 4 years for the Wolverines as an attackman. Sam is a volunteer for the World
Games assigned to Team Poland as Liaison.
General Manager
A lacrosse player and coach, Bieschke played midfield in high school and coached recreational,
JV and Varsity helping Joppatowne to a Division championship in 2007. He also competed on
Centurion team SOLE', Sons of Europe at 2006 World Games and played defense for FCA
Grandmasters.
TOMEK KEDZIA
Polish Lacrosse Liaison to F.I.L.
During the Summer of 2006, Tomek Kedzia saw lacrosse for the first time while living in the
Czech Republic. After doing more research about the game he realized that the game had never
been played or even heard of in Poland. After speaking with Peter Mundy – President of the
European Lacrosse Federation, Kedzia interested several others in the game from his city college
in Wroclaw, Poland. Shortly after the first lacrosse club was started - Kosynierzy Wroclaw. In
April 2008, while serving as midfielder/manager of his team, Kedzia scored the first goal in the
first field lacrosse game ever in Poland versus Poznan Hussars.
While spending time in the United States during the Summer of 2008, Kedzia met Bob Bieschke
(now General Manager) via e-mail through Joe Gold and Pawel Godlewski (former Lynchburg
College player who assists with player recruitment for Team Poland) who offered their help in
organization of Poland National Team.
During the 2008 European Championships this past Summer in Lahti, Finland, Kedzia served as
Poland’s first delegate during Federation of International Lacrosse meetings.
DR. DOUGLAS WRIGHT, Team Physician
Dr. Wright was a high school lacrosse player in New York at Ryder High School. He continued
playing in college at the club level at Georgia Tech University.
Dr. Wright is now an Orthopedic Surgeon at Upper Chesepeake Medical Center in Maryland.
SAM GLOVER
Polish Lacrosse Team Liaison Officer from F.I.L.
A 2005 graduate of Wesley College, Sam rejoins his former coach, Christian Zwickert, for the first
time since leaving the US. A native of Sheffield, England, Sam was a captain his Senior year
having played 4 years for the Wolverines as an attackman. Sam is a volunteer for the World
Games assigned to Team Poland as Liaison.
POLISH NATIONAL
LACROSSE TEAM
LACROSSE TEAM
