On July 18, Jake Froccaro accepted his trophy for winning the 2021 fastest shot competition during PLL All-Star weekend. It was Froccaro’s second all-star game appearance as a member of Chaos LC. Yet, a week later, Froccaro would play in his final game as a member of the Chaos.
With his team fighting for a playoff spot, Chaos head coach Andy Towers went all in on the Chaos’ box-style offense and opted for a different personnel group — one that didn’t include Froccaro. The move paid off as the Chaos went on to win four of its next five games en route to the team’s first PLL championship. Frocarro, who had helped Chaos to its first championship appearance in 2020, was left in limbo. Fortunately, that time in limbo didn’t last long.
The retirements of Paul Rabil and Connor Buczek left a massive void in the Cannons Lacrosse Club midfield. Rabil ended his career with a renaissance season, finishing in the top ten for points, and while Buczek struggled to produce in 2021, he provided another strong, veteran midifield presence.
While no one player can fill that space in the lineup, Cannons found their answer early in the offseason when they traded attackman Andrew Kew and a third-round pick for Chaos midfielder Jake Froccaro.
The Cannons and head coach Sean Quirk had been interested in Froccaro long before this offseason, even targeting him with the Boston Cannons back in the 2017 Major League Lacrosse college draft.
“[Jake] was somebody that we were really interested in, and we missed out on him in the college draft,” Quirk said. “We knew we had an extremely big hole to fill, certainly at offensive middie, but also in regards to two-way guys, and Jake was one of the first guys that I thought of.”
Froccaro found plenty of early success in the PLL with Chaos. In 2019, he led the Chaos midfield with 27 points and was named a finalist for midfielder of the year. However, as Andy Towers shifted to a box-style offensive approach and started utilizing more Canadian and box experienced players, Froccaro fell out of favor.
The former Villanova star played just six times in 2021 for Chaos and entered the offseason looking for a new opportunity in the PLL, leading him to Quirk and the Cannons.
“I was very excited when I got the call because I think I could fit well with the team,” Froccaro said. “I knew a bunch of guys on the roster and I was obviously very excited to join them and kind of showcase what I could do on the field.”
Despite the way things ended with Chaos, with Froccaro hardly playing down the stretch last season, there were no hard feelings between Towers and Froccaro.
“I had a nice conversation with Coach Towers, who I had a great relationship with in my three years with the Chaos. {We talked] about where they wanted to go with the team, and how I had been traded to the Cannons,” Froccaro said. “He thought that I was going to get more of an opportunity there.”
Alongside former Chesapeake Bayhawks teammates Lyle Thompson and Stephen Kelly, as well as college teammate Christian Cuccinello, Froccaro was a natural fit for the Cannons locker room and in the lineup.
On the field, Froccaro is a true do-it-all midfielder, playing all over the field to help his team. Against the Waterdogs in the season opener, he started at offensive middie, while also taking tons of reps on defense and faceoff wings, providing three assists and scooping up a pair of ground balls.
“[I’m] just trying to do whatever it takes to win,” Froccaro said. “I’m pretty versatile and willing to play wherever is needed to get a win … I think that’s one of my strong suits as a player. Wherever they really need me to play and whatever is best for the team is where I want to be.”
His versatility dates back to his college days when he played all over the field, but he’s also worked to round out his game as a professional to make as big of an impact on his team as possible.
“I’m kind of one of those guys who just wants to be in the game. I love playing,” Froccaro said. “Anytime someone is a little tired, any position it is, I’ll run out there. I don’t really mind at all.”
Froccaro’s team-first approach and work ethic have drawn the praise of his new head coach, who sees the all-star midfielder as a leader for this Cannons group.
“He’s humble. He’s a very unselfish guy, and a lead by example [guy],” Quirk said. “He’s set a really good example for not just the young guys, but the entire team.”
After a 16-10 win in week one, the Cannons are in a strong position to contend in their second PLL season, but they know they can’t look too far ahead.
“Obviously we played our first game and I think that was a great Waterdogs team, but if there’s anything I’ve learned in the last three years, it’s that you certainly can’t take any team lightly and it’s a long season,” Froccaro said.
