2020 NILCA Hall of Fame Inductee Bios
Bob Rule - Manhasset High School
In high school, Bob was the goaltender for the Manhasset Indians Lacrosse Team that finished 18-0 and were Long Island Champions. He was his team’s MVP and he garnered All-County recognition. At Cornell University, he played both Hockey and Lacrosse. In lacrosse, Bob became the starting goalie during his sophomore year. During his three year career, Cornell Lacrosse won 3 Ivy League Titles, went undefeated in 1970 and won the first NCAA Title in 1971 He was awarded the C. Markland Kelly Award as the outstanding goaltender in the Nation. In 1974, Bob was named to the United States Lacrosse Team. He was the starting goalie for the team that won the first official World Championship. He is the only athlete to win two National Championships in two sports in NCAA Division 1 history.
Bob had an outstanding record as the defensive coach at Manhasset from 1975to 2009. During that time the Indians had a record of 577-120. They won 25 League, Division, or Conference Championships including 11 Nassau County Championships, 8 Long Island Championships, and 4 NYS Championships.
Bob was voted Assistant Coach of the Year in Nassau County in 2002. He coached 13 All-American defensemen, long pole midfielders, and 3 All-American goaltenders. Five of his players were named Nassau County Defensive Player of the Year.
Bob is a member of the Manhasset Lacrosse Hall of Fame, the Manhasset Athletic Hall of Fame, the Nassau County Athletic Hall of Fame, the Cornell Athletic Hall of Fame, the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame, and now the NILCA Hall of Fame.
Bob has written numerous articles about lacrosse and an instructional book for goaltenders called “Power Goaltending.” He also has 9 patents related to lacrosse equipment.
Charles "Chuck" Apel - Bridgewater-Raritan High School
Entering his 43rd season at the helm of the Bridgewater-Raritan lacrosse program in New Jersey, Charles Apel has over 500+ wins and 6 state championships, including an unprecedented three undefeated seasons in 1998, 2012, and 2015.
Apel’s lacrosse journey started in East Meadow, Long Island, as a 10th-grade football and basketball player who wanted to try something new. A tremendous athlete, he dedicated himself to becoming the best player he could be and in his three years in high school lacrosse, he was named an all-league defenseman in 1972, All-American in 1973, and was part of an East Meadow Jet team that won three straight Long Island Championships in 1971, 1972, and 1973. He credits his teammates and HOF coaches Alan Lowe and Jack Kaley for his development and success as a young player.
Apel’s lacrosse career continued at Rutgers University playing for Hall of Fame coaches Bob Nasso and Tom Hayes. He was a standout defenseman for the Scarlet Knights, consistently drawing the opponent's top attackman. He would become a 2 time AA and played in the college North-South game in 1977.
After his playing days came to an end, Apel’s path moved on to coaching where he not only created and grew one of New Jersey’s premier programs but would constantly be promoting the game's overall growth. He has been an assistant (1999), head coach (2008), and general manager (2012) to multiple USA Under-19 teams, winning the gold medal in the 2008 games in Canada. He worked to promote local youth and high school player development through clinics, summer leagues, an in-town recreation program, the non-profit ‘Sweet Laxin’ tournament which raised funds to create a modern turf practice and playing facility for his BR program.
Apel has gathered multiple coaching accolades throughout the years. He was named NJ coach of the year 8 times, given the Federation of Interscholastic Coaches Association Award in 1992, inducted to the NJ Lacrosse HOF in 2001, named the NFHSCA National Coach of the Year in 2009.
One of Coach Apel’s most meaningful endeavors is as a founding member of the Michael Bruce Fund, a non-profit charity whose goal is to help individuals who have suffered from spinal cord injuries. The MB Fund was created after one of Apel’s players suffered a spinal cord injury entering his senior season in 1988.
Coach Apel is thankful to many people who have helped to guide and inspire him over the years. He’s indebted to his former teammates, coaches Jack Kaley, Alan Lowe, Tom Hayes. He is most thankful to his wife of over 40 years Jill. They are currently retired from their teaching careers and reside in Bridgewater, NJ. They have two children, Jessica, and Matthew, and four grandchildren Ella Mae, Quinn, George, and Griffin.
Ernie Lisi - Irondequoit High School
After graduating from Geneva High School in 1950, Ernie joined the Marines and served in the Korean War. He attended Hobart College after service and graduated in 1958. He started all four years in football and was captain for the 1957 undefeated team and that year he was selected for the Little All American Team. Ernie played midfield and defense in lacrosse and was named captain of the 1958 team.
His math teaching career started at Irondequoit High School in 1960 and his lacrosse career was soon to follow.
Ernie’s lacrosse accomplishments at Irondequoit are noteworthy, to say the least: longest winning streak-47; 21 championships; 10 undefeated championships; 211 wins and only 18 losses; 13 players elected to NYS High School All-American teams. Within 10 years, Ernie had 100 victories and it only took him seven years to win the next 111.
Irondequoit High School and its coach were three-time award winners for their outstanding contribution toward the growth and improvement of lacrosse for the Western-Central Officials Association.
The Rochester Box Lacrosse Club awarded the school and Ernie for their outstanding contribution to lacrosse in the Rochester Area for five consecutive years(1970-1974).
Additional awards for Ernie have been: Coach of the Year in 1971, 1972, 1973, and 1975 by the United States Lacrosse Association of America; 41st member to the Lacrosse Hall of Fame Century Club in 1971; receiver of the 1972 Sesquicentennial Award from Hobart and William Smith Colleges; 1976 Honor Award presented by the R.T. French Company; 1977 Man of the Year for Monroe County by the U.S.L.C.A, a National Award in 1984 for Man of the Year by the United States Lacrosse Association.
Since 1990, Ernie and his wife Mary have been enjoying retirement in Rochester, New York.
Jack Moran - Chaminade High School
Jack Moran has been the Head Coach at Chaminade High School for the last 41 years. Richie Meade, a close friend of Jack for over 40 years and former head lacrosse coach at the United States Naval Academy and Furman University reflected on Jack's coaching philosophy and character: “Jack’s boundless energy and enduring passion make him a great coach and teacher. This same passion is applied to everything Jack does in his life”. Coach Meade is amazed at how he shows the same enthusiasm today as he did 40 years ago. “The guys are loyal to Jack because of who he is and his presence as a leader and a mentor. I admire the effect he has on these young men. Jack is someone who exhibits tremendous personal faith and spirituality”.
Jack Moran has just completed his 41st year as the head coach at Chaminade. He has compiled an overall record of 573-142. The Flyers have won the NSCHSAA Lacrosse State Championship 20 times under Moran. Jack has been awarded the NSCHSAA Coach of the Year Award 7 times. The Flyers have been awarded the Sportsmanship Award 14 times. Moran was presented the New York Athletic Club Mike Pressler Award for Courage in 2007.
The Chaminade Lacrosse Teams have been nationally ranked in the Top 24 by Under Armour, Inside Lacrosse, and USA Lacrosse for over 20 years. Moran has produced numerous high school and college All Americans. There have been a number of Flyers on the Professional Lacrosse rosters as well as on Team USA.
Jack has been the NSCHSAA League Chairman since 1984 and President of the National Interscholastic Lacrosse Association from 1994-1996. He has served as the Head Coach for the winning North Team in the Under Armour All American Senior game. Jack was an Assistant Coach for the Gold Medal Winning Team USA U-19 in 1992.
A graduate of Levittown Division High School, Moran played for Hall of Fame Coaches Bob Waters and Jack Emmer. Jack Moran played on 2 National Championship Teams at Nassau under the direction of Hall of Fame Coach, Richard Speckman. At UMASS, Moran competed in 2 NCAA tournaments as a midfielder coached by Hall of Famer Dick Garber. Jack has been mentored by his Uncle Richie Moran, legendary Cornell Lacrosse Coach. Much of Chaminade’s success belongs to Jack’s great friend, Coach Bob Pomponio who has been with him for all 41 years along with Coach Steve Leghart who has been on his staff for 27 years. Jack is proud to have coached with William “Doc Dougherty, Sean Morrissey, John Espey, Mike DeMeo, Greg Kay, Rich Grismer, Mike Schwalje, Keith Wieczorek, Mike Chanenchuck, Gene Isnardi, Mark Reeves, John Laden, and Gerry Fay.
When asked to describe Jack, Richie Meade states,” Jack is a committed husband and devoted father, a great teacher and a celebrated and remarkable coach”. Jack has been married to his childhood sweetheart, Kathryne for 46 years. They have 4 married children: Jack, Jr. and Maggie, Patrick and Collette, Ryan and Dani, Shannon and Tom. Jack and Kathryne have 5 grandchildren: Maddie, Kelly, Lucy, Jack III, and Drew.
Jeff Brameier - Darien High School
Jeff was born and raised in Darien Connecticut. He attended Darien High School where he was a letter winner in football, basketball, and baseball. After graduating high school, he attended Southern Methodist University and the University of Connecticut where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education and Health.
He began teaching and coaching at his Alma Maer in 1977. Besides being a lacrosse coach, Jeff also coached football and Boy’s swim. In his nine years(1996-2004) as the swim coach, his teams were State Runners-Up five times and State Champions four times. In his twenty-eight years(1977-2003) as a football assistant and head coach (1999-2003), Daien won the Connecticut State Title Five times.
In lacrosse, Jeff heads into his 39th season at the helm of the Darien High School Boy’s Lacrosse Program. He has guided his teams to a won-loss record of 630-140 (.818), winning 18 FCIAC League Championships and 14 State Championships including six in a row from 2005-2010. He also guided his team to a state record of 76 wins in a row and he is the winningest coach in Connecticut Lacrosse history.
Jeff has coached 99 High School All Americans, 192 All-State Players, and 15 Connecticut Player’s of the Year. He has received the honor of Connecticut Lacrosse Coach of the Year five times. He was inducted into the Connecticut Lacrosse Hall of Fame Class of 2011, was the recipient of the NHSACA National Lacrosse Coach of the Year in 2012, and the NHSLCA National Coach of the Year in 2014. Jeff was also inducted into the FCIAC Hall of Fame in 2015.
Jeff has served as President of the Connecticut High School Lacrosse Coaches Association for 31 years and has been a presenter on both the National and Regional levels at multiple conventions. He also serves as the FCIAC Lacrosse Coordinator for both Boys and Girls.
Jim Amen
A graduate of Massapequa High School, Jim enrolled at Cortland State Teachers College where he played four years of varsity soccer and lacrosse before graduating in 1965 with a BA in Physical Education. Since then, Jim has dedicated the entirety of his career as a coach and administrator to teaching and spreading the game of lacrosse at nearly every level.
At the college level, Jim was an assistant coach at Hofstra University in 1977 under head coach, Harry Royal. From there, Jim earned a position as an assistant coach and head scout at Johns Hopkins University for five seasons, from 1977-1982, where he served under his mentor, legendary Hopkins head coach Henry “Chic” Ciccarone. At Hopkins, Jim helped guide the Blue Jays to five national championship game appearances, with the team winning three consecutive national championships from 1978-1980. A terrific basketball coach as well, Jim also was the head men’s basketball coach at Hopkins during his five-year tenure at the school.
As a head lacrosse coach at the high school level on Long Island, Jim coached league championship teams at both Plainview-JFK H.S., where he started the lacrosse program, and at Levittown-Division Avenue H.S. Later as head coach at Bethpage H.S., Jim coached his 1996 team to the Nassau County, Long Island, and NY State Class B Championship. Along the way, Jim has left an indelible impact on a countless number of his student-athletes, many of whom went on to prolific successes at the college and professional levels.
Separate from his accomplishments as a coach, Jim has also helped oversee the growth of the game on Long Island as a high school athletics administrator. Across stops as the Director of Physical Education and Athletics at Division Avenue High School, Bethpage School District, Cold Spring Harbor School District, and Manhasset School District, Jim has worked tirelessly to support coaches and student-athletes across all sports, including boys and girls lacrosse.
At the Nassau County and NY State levels, Jim has devoted his time and energy to serving athletics generally and lacrosse specifically through his service on various committees, including as both the Section VIII Modified and High School Boys Lacrosse Coordinator and as the Chairman of the NY State Lacrosse Committee.
At the national level, Jim served four years on the National Federation High School Boys Lacrosse Rules Committee and is a member of the US Lacrosse Youth Rules Committee and US Lacrosse Men’s Game Committee. Jim remains the Executive Director of the National Interscholastic Lacrosse Coaches Association (NILCA) as well.
Jim’s tireless efforts have resulted in his being awarded many accolades, among them:
2x Nassau County Boys Lacrosse Coach of the Year (1970, Plainview Kennedy; 1996, Bethpage), Long Island Metropolitan Lacrosse Foundation Hall of Fame (1997), Nassau County Lacrosse Officials Man of the Year (2003), 2x Nassau County Lacrosse Coaches Association Man of the Year (2003 & 2008), Massapequa High School Hall of Fame (2005), US Lacrosse National Secondary School Man of the Year (2008), Bethpage High School Hall of Fame (2015), Nassau County Athletic Hall of Fame (2016), and many others.
Jim lives in Northport, NY, with his wife Tricia where they raised two sons and one daughter, and where Jim started the youth lacrosse program many years ago. Recently retired from Manhasset after a 56-year career in education, Jim will have plenty of time to pass his love of the game on to his five (soon to be six) grandchildren.
Jim Turnbull - Yorktown High School
Jim Turnbull first saw lacrosse at Hofstra University a mile from his home in Hempstead, New York, and knew he wanted to play. Unfortunately, Hempstead started a program the year after he graduated so he played basketball and boys’ softball (at least it was fast pitch). He then played four years of lacrosse at Hamilton College and was captain his senior year. After deciding that a law career was not for him, he decided that he wanted to be a teacher and coach and switched from Columbia Law to Teachers College at Columbia. He never looked back.
In 1964, he began teaching at Yorktown High as a Social Studies teacher. With the help of the principal (a Hopkins grad), he started a club team in 1965 with fifteen boys. In 1966 Yorktown had the first varsity public school team in the Hudson Valley. Yorktown won the Hudson Valley League title from 1967 to 1971 and the Section One Championship from 1972 to 1974. He stepped down after the 1976 season with a record of 156 wins 26 losses and 4 ties. He moved over to coach the Westchester Lacrosse Club for five years and with his wife Lyn and three young kids traveled from Boston to Baltimore every weekend.
After two years as JV coach, he again became the varsity coach from 1984-93 when he retired so he could watch his son Merrill play at UNC. During these ten years, Yorktown won ten sectional titles, seven state semi- titles (against the Long Island champions), and five state championships (1984, 1989, 1991, 1992, and 1993). In 1984, Yorktown ended West Genesee’s ninety-one-game winning streak in the state finals at Hofstra. Also in 1992, he was head coach of the Hudson Valley gold medal-winning team at the Empire State games which included his son Merrill and many Yorktown players. He retired from coaching at Yorktown with a record of 354-52-4 with a winning percentage of over 86%.
Coach Turnbull has coached 34 High School All Americans and 18 Division One college All Americans. Outstanding players such as Dom Finn and Roy Colsey were named the Division One Midfielders of the Year in the consecutive years of 1994 and 1995 after brilliant careers at Syracuse and were recently inducted in the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame. Brian Kuczma, Dave Marr and Brian Carcaterra starred at Hopkins with Kuczma being named 1997 Defenseman of the year, Carcaterra 1998 Goalie of the Year and Marr leaving Hopkins as the all-time assist leader. Other notable players included Bill Ralph, the 1990 ACC Player of the year as a defenseman and multiple time college all Americans including Nick DiLauria, Mike Herger, Jim Gilman, Bill Dwan, Steve Kavovit, Rob Kavovit, Paul Carcaterra, Chris Grande, Rob Doerr, John Harrington and Matt Caione. Jim is most proud of his coaching tree, as many of his former players are now head coaches at high schools and colleges around the country including Scott Marr at the University of Albany and Matt Dwan as the top assistant at Loyola College.
Since 1996, he and his wife of sixty-one years split time between Orleans, Massachusetts and Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Jim has continued coaching all of these years as an assistant coach at Chapel Hill High School, Cardinal Gibbons (Raleigh), South East Guilford (Greensboro) and Jordan (Durham) which included winning state championships in 2003, 2006 and 2014. He was also actively involved in summer league lacrosse on Cape Cod as a referee and coach for many years.
His three children, Tracey (Hamilton), Heather (Hartwick) and Merrill (UNC) all played college lacrosse and five of his six grandchildren have sticks in their hands.
More importantly, Lyn has been the scorekeeper at all of these games (approximately one thousand). She has continued to inform and intimidate officials even as recently as 2021 in cold and wet weather in Durham, North Carolina at age eighty-two!
John Kenney
John Kenney was introduced to the game of lacrosse by his father, a semi-pro hockey player who had played box during the summers in Springfield Mass. John would go on to play in high school for the Mohawk Lacrosse Club in Albany, New York. A year of post-graduate prep at Bridgton Academy where he was named All-New England, he eventually played both football and lacrosse at the collegiate level. After playing for the Dallas Lacrosse Club post-college while being a member of the Dallas Police Force, Kenney started a teaching and coaching career at The Stony Brook School on Long Island.
Thinking that a private school on Long Island would have a lacrosse team, Kenney was surprised when the headmaster assigned him to coach JV baseball. “ Their lacrosse team must be awesome’, he thought; that is until he was told they did not have one. John set to work on starting the Stony Brook School program which eventually went on to win Two (2) Suffolk County Championships and 6 Divisional Titles. Also coaching at Stony Brook, Kenney went on to assist 2 Empire State Games Champions ( 1996 & 97). The rise in Stony Brook success’s also coincided with the arrival of Dave Castle, an inventive offensive strategist, whose guidance and lifelong friendship were invaluable. In 2003 after moving to Michigan, Kenney’s team won the Class B State Championship and won it again in 2006. In all, Kenney was named either coach of the year or man of the year 12 times. His HS teams accumulated 397 wins. 27 of his players were named NILCA All Americans and 6 players won NCAA championships.
Kenney has also served in various leadership roles within the scholastic lacrosse community. He served as Section XI Lacrosse Coordinator for 11 years and served the Suffolk Country Lacrosse Coaches Association as President for over a decade. He also served on the NYSPHSAA executive board for Lacrosse. Duplicating that role in Michigan, he served as the Michigan HS Lacrosse Coaches Association President and Midwest President for 8 consecutive years. In addition, Kenney served on the national level as President of USA Lacrosse’s Men's Council and as a member of the Executive Board in the mid-1990’s. He is credited, along with Tom Hall, for crafting the first NFHS sanctioned rule book for HS Lacrosse, has creating a prototype of a national rule book for the NILCA.
On an international level, Kenney served as an assistant coach on the 2003 Team USA U-19 World Championships serving Hall Of Famer Bob Shriver. Eventually turning his attention to the International Game, Kenney coached Scotland’s National team from 2007-2014, winning 1 Celtic Cup, 1 British National Championship, 1 Divisional European Championship, 1 Edinburgh Cup and guiding Scotland to finish in the Blue Division in the 2014 World Games that were held in Denver. Perhaps most important was Kenney’s involvement in starting the first HS boys lacrosse program in Scotland at Mearns Castle outside Glasgow. From that team 4 players would eventually make the Scottish Squad for the 2014 Worlds. 7 Scotland players would be named to the All President’s Team over two World Championships. During his tenure, The Rampant Lion squad won 28 World/European Games to 8 losses.
He is a member of the Bridgton Academy, Michigan Lacrosse Coaches Hall of Fame, and the Lacrosse Scotland Hall of Fame.
It has been droplets of grace to have his wife Carol at his side ( the rock and conscience of the family) and to have had the privilege to coach his four sons - Jake, Derek, Nathan, and Adam. The coaching joy continues as he has been blessed to watch and coach his four grandsons - James, Matt, Rhys, and Sean who have learned to play the game that has been such a part of his life.
Rob Bordley - Landon School
After serving as the assistant lacrosse coach for his first five years, Bordley took over as head coach in 1975. Over the next 44 years, he presided over a program that consistently combined excellence on the field with scholarly achievement in the classroom, and more importantly, instilled players with character development for college and life beyond.
In recognition of his efforts, Bordley earned the lacrosse community’s highest honor in 2020, selection to the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame. He now stands, officially, among the all-time best, with a record that provides testimony to that inclusion.
Bordley retired following the 2018 season with a career record of 655-123 and a career-winning percentage of 84 percent. He is one of just five coaches to surpass the 600-win milestone.
During his tenure, Bordley led Landon to 32 league championships, including four undefeated seasons. His teams were ranked number one in the Washington Metropolitan area 19 times and finished as USA Lacrosse Magazine’s No. 1 team in the nation four times.
Bordley produced 47 high school All-Americans and had 59 players named to the All-Metro first team. He also had 39 players who would go on to become collegiate All-Americans.
Throughout his career, amidst the honors and accolades, Bordley has been quick to humbly deflect the credit to the players and his assistants.
After capturing his 600th victory in 2015, he said, “I told the kids that I haven’t scored any goals, I haven’t made any saves, and I haven’t won any faceoffs. I have just been here a long time and had a lot of talented players. I’ve had superb coaches, from start to finish. And the administration and parents have been very supportive. All those factors have contributed to winning our share.”
As a lifetime educator, Bordley also understood that athletics were fertile ground for imparting life lessons. Rare Landon losses provided the coach with valuable teaching opportunities.
Bordley was selected as both The Washington Post’s and the USLCA’s coach of the year five times and was recognized as the National Interscholastic Lacrosse Coaches Association (NILCA) man of the year in 2017. That same year, he received the USA Lacrosse Gerald J. Carroll Award, given annually to one boys' high school coach nationwide who demonstrates support and care for players in their growth and development as young adults and leaders.
Ted Wolford - Upper Arlington High School
Head Coach 1992 – 2016
Ted Wolford and his three brothers were introduced to lacrosse at Upper Arlington High School, all playing at the varsity level. Upon graduation, Ted began coaching middle school in Upper Arlington (UA) and continued playing lacrosse for the Columbus Lacrosse Club for 15 years. He transitioned to coaching junior varsity at UA before becoming a varsity assistant under Lee Spitzer. Ted’s older brother Bill was the next head coach at UA and, joined by brother John, the brothers coached together at their alma mater for five years. When Bill left UA to begin a new program Worthington Kilbourne, Ted asked to become the fourth head lacrosse coach in Upper Arlington history. In 2016, Ted stepped down as head coach and is now supporting the UA lacrosse program as an assistant coach.
Ted’s coaching record at Upper Arlington was 460-61. The Golden Bears played in 23 state championships during his 25 years as head coach, winning 16. During that time Upper Arlington also competed in the Midwest Scholastic Lacrosse Coaches Association (MSLCA), comprised of the best teams from Ohio, Michigan, and Western Pennsylvania. In the MSLCA, Upper Arlington played in the “A” bracket (consisting of the top four schools) for 24 of his 25-year head coaching career, winning the MSLCA title 10 times and runner-up four. Lacrosse Magazine ranked UA nine times in their 20 years of rankings. Ted was privileged to coach 45 high school All-Americans, 13 collegiate All-Americans, eight NCAA National Champions, one U-19 player, one Team USA World Champion, and a two-time runner-up for the Tewaaraton Award. Ted was Ohio’s Coach of the year seven times and MSLCA coach of the year four times. In 2000, Ted was given the Gerald J. Carroll award for exemplary coaching by USALacrosse and the NILCA recognized Ted as their Man of the Year in 2016.
In 1993, Ted coached in the National North-South all-star game, then joined Joe Gold, Bill Bergen, and Jeff Tambroni to coach the Czech Republic national team. In 2002, Ted joined head coach Jon Haus at the 2002 World Games in Australia to coach the Korean National team. The following year, Ted and his brother Bill teamed up again to coach the Korean National Team at the 2003 U19 World Games. Ted coached five different teams over a 23 period in the Vail Shootout.
Ted was on the advisory board in 1999 and 2000 for the NLL Columbus Landsharks, and in 2001 was an evaluator for the first MLL combine held in Florida. Ted served twice as the president of the Ohio High School Lacrosse Coaches Association and spent sixteen years as president of the Central Ohio Lacrosse Coaches Association. Ted was inducted into the Ohio Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Upper Arlington High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2021. Ted helped start the Upper Arlington Lacrosse Association in 1995 and sits on the board. He serves on the Ohio Lacrosse Foundation Hall of Fame selection committee. Ted has presented at numerous coaching clinics during his career including twice at the USA Lacrosse conventions. Most impactful was his involvement in the Lightning Stick Society, conducting camps for the Lakota Sioux Indians at the Rosebud Reservation in the summer of 2015 and 2016.
As Woody Hayes so famously said, “You win with people,” Ted credits the many great players and their families for providing him with these wonderful opportunities. He credits a supportive athletic staff, administrators, athletic trainers (especially Ron Walter), and strength training staff (especially Will Connery) with helping with his success. Dan Hendrickson and Brett Diehl, the UA middle school head coaches for over 30 years, have been tremendous partners and friends. Ted is grateful for his many assistant coaches over the years, especially Brian Burke, Jim Lafferty, Sean Turner, Glenn Alban, Robert Schmeling, Ed Chung, Dave Otis, Kyle Olson, Patrick Hurley, Bryan England, Brett Harper, Dan Reed, Will Morgan, Corey Bentine, Grant DeVilbiss, Scott Lathrop, Braedon Dennis, Ned Clark, Jeff Sabota, Dennis Swanson, Lex Kridler, and Wes Kemme. Finally, Ted would like to thank his parents, Norm and Alice, and his siblings Jayne, Sue, Dan, Bill, Ann, John, and favorite sister Kate for their unwavering love and support.
Tim Flynn
Tim Flynn was introduced to lacrosse at Hanover Park High School in New Jersey in 1968. Flynn has had the unique experience of watching the sport grow from 12 teams to over 200 in the state today. The crew of friends from Hanover Park, with whom Tim learned the game, played together in high school, in college, in summer leagues, in clubs, and at the Vail Tournament for years.
After an All-Conference playing career at Montclair State College, Flynn was named the first (and only) Head Lacrosse Coach at Mountain Lakes High School in 1980. His 693-147 win-loss record there makes him the winningest high school coach in New Jersey history and ranks him 4th nationally behind Mike Messere, Joe Cuozzo, and Bob Hartranft. The fact that Mountain Lakes is a small, public high school that has posted an 82.5% winning percentage against a schedule of much larger public and private schools is of particular note. The Lakers have won 8 overall New Jersey State Championships, 10 Group 1 titles, 13 Morris County Titles, 20 Division Championships, and have been ranked in the Top 10 in the nation multiple times. Mountain Lakes relies on a fantastic junior program started by John Walters of Dartmouth and Animal House fame. The Mountain Lakes K-12 lacrosse brotherhood has produced 76 high school and 41 college All-Americans, and last year 28 Lakers were on college rosters. At last count, 43 Laker alumni were coaching at the youth, high school, college, and pro levels.
Tim Flynn is the past president of the New Jersey Lacrosse Coaches Association, ran the NJ Coaches Clinic for years, and is on the Board of the New Jersey Lacrosse Foundation. Flynn has been inducted into the New Jersey Lacrosse Foundation Hall of Fame, the Montclair State College Lacrosse Hall of Fame, and the NJSIAA Coaches Hall of Fame. He has been named New Jersey Coach of the Year several times and has received the Len Roland Sportsmanship Award. In 2008, Flynn served as an assistant coach for the gold medal-winning USA U-19 team in Vancouver, Canada. In 2012, Flynn was the Head Coach of the World Champion USA U-19 Team in Turku, Finland.
Tim credits a "college-level" group of assistant coaches over the years for keeping standards at Mountain Lakes high. Billy Dwyre, Ken White, Bruce Dugan, Mark Walters, Steve Feltmann, Nick Lane, Darrell Fusco, Clint McDonough, and Mike Kirwan have coached with expertise and passion and have helped develop the "Laker Family" attitude of hard work and fun. Tim shares the lacrosse experience with daughter Kim (best stat girl ever!), is still learning from son-in-law Steve Manitta, and treasures the Cougar Lake moments with grandsons Ted and Colin. Flynn's secret weapon is his wife of 50 years—Betsy. She has provided unbelievable caring support and is the team mom for all the Lakers. Flynn asks that his charges work hard, have fun, play with joy in their hearts, and love the game and each other.