The FishHawk Coyotes Lacrosse organization is making big changes in the fall in order to get the most out of their program. These changes intend to accelerate this lacrosse community’s impact on athleticism, fundamentals and achievements both on and off the field. The coed, 501(c)(3) nonprofit program trains players from kindergarten through eighth grade.
FishHawk resident Brian Lemon will rejoin the program Sunday, August 1 as the head of Coyotes Lacrosse Operations after leaving about eight years ago. He is the founder of FishHawk Coyotes Youth Lacrosse, which he started in 2003. Lemon brings a pedigree to the program as an elite trainer for girls lacrosse.
His resume speaks for itself, as he was a lacrosse coach and schoolteacher for 12 years for boys and girls at the youth and high school levels. He also played professional lacrosse for eight years and he was the head coach for the Jesuit Boys Lacrosse program for three years. Lemon was inducted into the Florida Gulf Coast Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2017 and he currently serves as executive vice president of Lacrosse Operations at the National Lacrosse League. His son, Jake, is also playing NCAA Division I lacrosse.
“Brian is one of the top five gurus of lacrosse in the entire United States and he’s agreed to come back and run the program again—it’s nice to have him,” said Drew Sinn, president of FishHawk Coyotes Lacrosse. “To have him back presents a very interesting opportunity to build one of the best lacrosse programs in Central Florida.”
Rene Torres will also return to the program this fall as the head of Lacrosse Speed and Agility. The former president of the program has trained hundreds of kids and adults in the FishHawk area. As a Marine, he served as a battalion executive officer and a logistician for over 3,000 Marines. Torres has twins that are both high school varsity lacrosse players: Sam, a captain of the Newsome Boys Lacrosse team, and Sofia, who is committed to playing girls lacrosse for St. Bonaventure University in 2022.
For Sinn, who ran a lacrosse program in Roanoke, Virginia, the development of the game has always been important to him and his family. He has coached his kids since they were little. When Sinn was a junior in high school, he blew out his knee playing lacrosse and wasn’t cleared to play for his senior year after rehabbing.
The school’s athletic director asked him if he wanted to coach the freshman team as a senior. He has been interested in coaching ever since and has been key to bringing in these new instructors for Coyotes Lacrosse. Sinn and his new instructors see an opportunity to develop the sport in the area like it is in Sinn’s hometown of Long Island, where lacrosse is king.
“Coyotes, acquiring the best people in our area, prepares us for the next step. These folks care deeply about children, have fun, are the best in the country at what they do and love both lacrosse and this community,” said Sinn. “We should have a lot of positive momentum for the next four or five years.”
For more information, visit coyotesyouthlacrosse.leag1.com.
