USA Lacrosse has named six winners of its annual Youth Lacrosse Service Awards, recognizing outstanding contributors to youth lacrosse from around the country for the 2022 calendar year. The winners were selected from among the nominations submitted for each award and are being recognized with presentations arranged by their local lacrosse organizations. The awards and honorees are:
Youth Coach of the Year
John McConnell – Denver, Colo.
This honor is given to a man or woman who embodies the characteristics of an ideal coach by supporting the USA Lacrosse mission and vision, dedicating themselves to players and providing the best possible lacrosse experience for everyone involved.
McConnell has spent 22 years as a boys’ youth coach, serving in varying roles, from program director to head coach to assistant coach. In addition to coaching multiple teams through the years, McConnell is a USA Lacrosse Level 1 and Level 2 Certified Coach.
“Coach John’s years of lacrosse experience are evident in the way he leads his team,” one parent and nominator wrote. “He shares his knowledge of what it takes to be a great lacrosse player, not just lacrosse skills, but the important life skills of sportsmanship and teamwork. He demonstrates a great balance of caring and pushing his players to individually elevate their own skills. Coach John shares the team’s desire to win, but he puts the development of the boys first. He is not afraid to bench a stronger player who is exhibiting poor sportsmanship.”
Outstanding Youth Official
Tim Guerriero – Mesa, Ariz.
Given to boys' or girls’ youth game officials who are each exemplary members of the "third team on the field" and embody the characteristics of an ideal role model, teacher, and mentor. They must support the USA Lacrosse mission and vision and seek to maintain a high quality of experience for all on the field.
Guerriero wears multiple hats as a member of the Arizona Women’s Lacrosse Umpire Association (AWLUA). In addition to serving for a decade as a highly-regarded game official, he is also an AWLUA board member, and works as an officials’ trainer and observer.
One colleague wrote, “Tim demonstrates professionalism and a genuine love of the game in his own officiating as well as his training. He provides positive and constructive feedback to help the junior officials learn and improve. Even after they are certified, Tim continues to be a resource for any questions or concerns they might have. Even when he is not scheduled to officiate, he regularly comes to the Saturday youth play days to assist the junior officials. Before games begin, he talks to all the junior officials to make sure they are ready to go and have everything they need. Throughout the day, Tim moves around the youth fields to make sure all the junior officials know where he is and that he is available to help if needed. He has shown these kids what character looks like and has helped them to develop skills that will last them a lifetime”
Outstanding Contribution to the Game
This award honors USA Lacrosse members who are long-standing contributors to the youth game who have had a lasting impact by supporting the USA Lacrosse mission and vision. Four recipients have been selected for 2022.
John Boone – Oakley, Calif.
Boone has been active in the game for 43 years, and was a contributor to the early formation of the Northern California Junior Lacrosse Association (NCJLA). He is currently the founder, president, and head coach for Delta Breeze Lacrosse.
“We didn’t know much about the sport initially but after a few short practices Coach Boone ignited a love for the sport through our entire family,” said one parent and nominator. “One of the things my oldest son loves the most about Coach Boone is his passion for the game, its rich history, and his approach as a teacher first. Coach Boone often hands out books on the history of the game as a reward to players. He teaches his players to love the opponent, play hard and with heart, to win with dignity and lose with class.”
Joe Lang - Carbondale, Colo.
Lang is founder and president of Roaring Fork Lacrosse Club, and served as the head coach for the program for nine years. He now serves as coach at Glenwood Springs High School.
“Joe established RFLC and has never taken a penny despite working relentlessly year-round,” one board member wrote. “He has been responsible for the majority of the fund raising, schedule coordination, equipment acquisition, coaching, and hiring during the last 13 years. Joe has religiously and continuously given back to the sport and created a legacy for himself as a coach and an ambassador of lacrosse in Colorado. He is the consummate team player, leader, and mentor.”
Austin Rodemaker – Cheyenne, Wy.
Rodemaker has been active in lacrosse for 16 years, including founder, director, and coach for the past four years for the Cheyenne Youth Lacrosse Club.
“In the spring of 2019, Austin formed the first and only lacrosse team in Cheyenne, a myriad collection of nine girls ranging from a recent high school graduate to our 6th grade daughter,” one parent wrote. “From these humble beginnings, Cheyenne now has over 100 boys and girls playing lacrosse on five different teams. The girls’ team is a very small piece of what Austin has managed to accomplish. He also established a varsity boys’ team, a U14 boys’ team, a U12 boys’ team, and a combined boys and girls youth team. Despite the obstacles of COVID, he has been able to put on youth clinics in PE classes in the local elementary and junior high schools, and these clinics are directly responsible for the tremendous growth we have experienced in Cheyenne.”
Eric Vota – Folsom, Calif.
Vota has been a fixture with the Folsom Lacrosse Association for 25 years, doing everything needed to sustain the growth of the boys’ and girls’ programs on and off the field. In addition to serving as president and executive board member, he has run player clinics, coaches training, and coached teams in all age groups.
“Not only has Eric been a pillar of support for lacrosse in our community at all levels, but his deep love and profound desire to grow the game is positively infectious,” one parent wrote. “He brought us into a circle of love and respect for a game steeped in tradition, competition, sportsmanship, and honor. Eric has taught lacrosse in multiple school PE classes, hosted Learn to LAX clinics, summer camps, skills clinics, and coached countless teams at all ages and levels. I couldn’t begin to tally the hours he has poured into our community, but it's an immense number.”
USA Lacrosse is now accepting online nominations for the 2023 Youth Lacrosse Service Awards. If you know a deserving candidate, please visit usalacrosse.com/youth-lacrosse-service-awards to learn more and submit a nomination.
