Game Changer: Greg Gurenlian

Few names in lacrosse carry the weight and respect of Greg Gurenlian. Widely known as one of the most dominant faceoff specialists in the game’s history, Greg built a career defined by grit, resilience, and excellence at the highest levels of competition. Beyond the accolades, though, his journey is also one of perseverance through challenges, both physical and mental, that shaped who he is today.

Now retired from professional play, Greg continues to inspire the next generation of athletes through his work as a coach, mentor, and founder of The FaceOff Academy. In this Q&A with The Hidden Opponent, he reflects on his career, the role mental health has played in his life, and the lessons he hopes to pass on to athletes striving not only to succeed in their sport but also to prioritize their well-being along the way.

Can you share a bit about your journey into lacrosse, and from playing at the highest level to founding the Faceoff Academy?

I started playing lacrosse in high school. I am from Springfield, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. I played college lacrosse at Penn State University, where I got my kinesiology degree and became a professional strength coach. The year I graduated, I was also drafted to Major League Lacrosse. During my 14-year career, I set multiple face-off records as well as earned a league MVP, and won a league championship in 2015. I was honored to play for Team USA as well for about 10 years. I retired in 2017, then came out of retirement in 2019 to play one year in the newly formed Premier Lacrosse League, where my team, the Redwoods, lost in the championship game. In 2012, while I was playing Jerry Ragonese and I started a face-off training company called The FaceOff Academy. We still run that full-time to this day, and we have helped over 1,500 athletes make their way to the NCAA level.

What was the biggest adjustment for you as you transitioned from being an elite athlete to a coach?

I was fortunate to begin coaching while I was still playing. At first, my focus was entirely on sharing my knowledge and techniques to help other athletes reach their full potential. But what I didn’t expect was how much I would learn from them in return. Coaching gave me a new perspective on the game — and it’s no coincidence that some of my best seasons as a player came after I started coaching.

As a coach and mentor, how do you approach supporting athletes not just in skill development, but in their overall well-being?

I’ve faced my own struggles with anxiety and depression, and I’ve been fortunate to have incredible people by my side through some of my toughest moments. Because of that, I take my role as a mentor, friend, and big brother figure very seriously. Yes, I’m teaching lacrosse skills and techniques, but more importantly, I’m focused on helping these young men build the mental and emotional tools they need to thrive in a world that seems to get tougher every year.

What role do you believe coaches play in breaking down the stigma around mental health in athletics? 

Coaches are an extension of parents. And in many ways, coaches can get through to kids when parents fail. And it’s not the parents' fault, it’s just the way of things. Over time, a parent's voice can become static noise to a kid. Coaches instilling the same mental and emotional stability as a parent is vital. Sometimes we can become the tough love that a kid needs, and in other instances, we can be the ear that they need to vent to. We play a very pivotal role in the development of a child. As a father, I take it more seriously than I ever have throughout my career.

Have you faced your own challenges with mental health during your career, and if so, what strategies or resources helped you most?

Mental health was not something that was talked about much growing up. Therapy was frowned upon, especially for a man. Now that I’m older, I look back on the struggles I have had, and I have realized, after working on myself for these years, that I have suffered from social anxiety. Most of my anxiety, pressure, and anguish has come from myself. I put impossible expectations on my own shoulders, and I don’t do well with surface-level relationships. I feel things very strongly, and I have a desire to help people at a very deep level as well. These feelings can create an environment in which you are constantly searching.

When you are a professional athlete in today’s social media world, you have to develop extremely thick skin. I have personally learned that social media is the single most harmful thing for a young athlete. When we grew up, he only had to deal with the negativity of those in the same room with us, but now it can feel like thousands of people are hating on you for sport just to get a laugh. It’s become a very dark environment, and I have learned to take a step back and focus on the people that are in the same rooms as me, the people that truly care about me, know me, and love me. I try my best to make sure that the athletes I coach do not connect their self-worth to their lacrosse performance or to the opinions of others. As humans, we need to do the best we can with what we’ve got. And when we achieve something, no matter how small, we need to learn to take the time to appreciate and celebrate those moments.

What advice would you give to athletes—especially younger ones—who may be struggling with balancing performance expectations, academics, and mental health?

My number one goal when I coach a kid for the first time is to teach them how to enjoy what they’re doing. Enjoy learning, enjoy the competition, and being a part of it. Realize that the fact that you can even do this right now is a blessing, and it should be celebrated. As they advance, I help them to try to become analytical, focus on the process, and focus on correcting mistakes, technically. The more analytical you become, the less time you have to be emotional in a game.

What do you hope to see in the future when it comes to mental health advocacy in lacrosse, coaching, and sports more broadly?

My hope is that organizations like The Hidden Opponent continue to lead the way in advocating for mental health, and that more athletes find the courage to speak up about their own experiences so that these conversations become truly normalized. Too often, when people hear “mental health,” they immediately think only of depression, but it’s so much broader than that. Everyone struggles with something. No matter how different we may seem, we’re all human, and we’re all fighting our own battles. I hope that youth sports, or even just lacrosse, can become a microcosm of what we need more of in this world: people reaching down to lift others up, instead of reaching up to pull others down.