Lacrosse Coach Appointments On School Board Agenda Wednesday

Lacrosse in Middletown high schools will become a reality tonight when the school board votes to approve the appointments of eight lacrosse coaches and effectively kickstart the season

The hiring of the coaches is a triumph for a group of six fathers who organized last year to bring the competitive spirit, camaraderie, and scholarship opportunities that they believe the sport will offer to Middletown public school teens. Their passion has drawn the interest of 300 parents. The tax-exempt Lacrosse in Middletown organization, L.I.M. has raised $60,000 mostly through donations and a three-day summer camp. 

"We're glad real coaches are going to take over," said Andrew Kaiser, one of the Lacrosse in Middletown board members, lead by President Christopher Fischer, which will continue to fundraise for the school program. "I was part of the interview process, and we've got some solid coaches with real high school and college experience. I feel real confident about them." 

The board will vote on special contract coaches at tonight's meeting, which begins at 8 p.m. at the Middletown HS North Library. At HS North, the proposed coaches for the boys team are Ryan Hilla, Head Coach and Jason Pino, Assistant. For the girls team it is Jacquelyn Garofalo, Head Coach and Colleen Weimer, Assistant.

At HS South, the proposed coaches for the girls lacrosse team is Greer McCarthy, Head Coach and Lauren Conaty, Assistant. For the boys team it is Frank Finochio, Head Coach and Thomas Rooney, Assistant. 

The coaches will be introduced to the Lacrosse in Middletown players on Thursday at the final players clinic at the Middletown HS North Bubble. 

The new high school spring-season extra-curricular sport will be offered to about 120 girls and boys at the junior varsity level at High School South and High School North. (Everyone who wants to play will be on the team, there will be no cuts, said Kaiser.)  The $80,000 in funds will equally split between the schools, to fund the four teams. The money pays for coach salaries, referee fees, busing, uniforms, field supplies, even the horn timer.

The school district insurance policy will cover the student athletes, Kaiser said, who praised Superintendent William O. George and the school board for being supportive of the new sport already well established in local private schools like Red Bank Catholic and Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft, and popping up in many other local public schools this spring. 

There are already more than a dozen game dates on the schedule, but the most anticipated one will be the hometown rivalry on the turf field on April 6, between Middletown High School North and Middletown High School South. 

Lacrosse in Middletown board members are President Christopher Fisher, Vice President Andrew Kaiser, Treasurer John Macrae, Secretary Dennis Fisher, MHSN VP Pete Skarzynsky and MHSS VP John Griffin. They maintain an informative Facebook page and keep Middletown-NJ Patch readers updated via the LAX in M-town blog on Middletown-NJ Patch.