Most readers of FLN will recognize the setting of the photo above, Delray Beach’s Old School Square.  Shown are members of the boys and girls of Atlantic High School’s first lacrosse teams going for a run.  If you have not yet visited Atlantic Avenue and it’s famous restaurant and shopping scene, we are pretty sure you have heard about it.  What you may not know is many of the young men and women readers of FLN have come to know through the game of lacrosse hail from Delray but had to attend high school in another town because not much was offered locally.  Atlantic, known for its IB program and other  sports such as football, did not have a lacrosse program.  American Heritage had a team but it was also known more for its football (runner-up in the state this year).  Well, the times they are a changin’.

1998 World Champion Kevin Finneran (Coach Finn to those who know him) was quoted in Delray Beach Magazine saying “I want Delray Beach to be known as the lacrosse hub of South Florida.”  Well, Kevin, in many ways it already is.  The Delray Riptide youth program has been one of the most successful in the state, sending a number of its players to the college level.  Part of the reason is so many talented former players and coaches have chosen to make Delray their home and they have given back to the game by coaching these young men and women.  Pat Doyle, who played at Navy and Cornell, was the key organizer of Riptide and he used his contacts to attract a first rate group of coaches. Coach Jeff Goldberg, winner of state championships at St. Andrew’s has moved to American Heritage Delray.  Pope John Paul II coach Andrew Bolger has a lacrosse store in Delray jammed full of gear, MacWear.  Legends such as former Maryland coach Dave Cottle, MLL MVP Casey Powell and Cornell great Chris Kane are locals. Coach Finn worked for over a year to start a lacrosse program at Atlantic.  He found a receptive principal in Anthony Lockhart, an invaluable proponent in parent Randy Kurtz who helped navigate the required paperwork and a knowledgeable athletic director in Kevin Logan.  AD Logan, one of Florida’s greatest athletes himself,  a former Gators starting linebacker, enrolled his two sons (now graduated) into St. Andrew’s in part because lacrosse was offered there.  Both of his sons started for the Scots and were state champions.  In Logan, Atlantic has an AD who understands and loves the game.  Everything seems to have fallen in place.

As mentioned previously, not only will Atlantic have a boys’ team, but it will also offer girls’ lacrosse with new head coach Kristen Scopetski, a UMass alumna.  Both teams will walk before they run, playing an independent slate this year, scheduling other teams with similar experience.  Many of the players have never played the game before and much of the costs associated with the programs will be covered by fund raisers such as car washes.  Of note, some of the games will be played at Atlantic and some will be played at the old Atlantic field, Hilltopper Stadium, which is located at the Seacrest Soccer Complex. Most of you know Coach Finn’s incredible playing career information, but you probably do not know he coached eight years at the Shipley School (PA), won a state championship coaching Morreston (NJ) High School and was the head coach and general manager of the Chicago Machine.  Known as a developer of talent with a solid private coaching business, FLN asked Coach Finn why he took on such an ambitious project.  He simply replied “I wanted to get back to coaching at the high school level and Atlantic was the perfect fit.”  Speaking for the Delray community, thanks for making that decision Coach Finn, Principal Lockhart, AD Logan and parent Kurtz. In closing, we will toss in a plug for Coach Finn’s camp this weekend in Delray featuring Duke star Jordan Wolf.  Any young player will have a great time while being taught by some of the best coaches around.