JERUSALEM, ISRAEL — Israel Lacrosse has announced the coaching staff for the men’s national team that will debut in exhibition play at the 2012 European Lacrosse Championships in Amsterdam. Jon Barocas, Pete Ginnegar and Mark Greenberg will serve as assistant coaches, joining head coach Bill Beroza on the blue-and-white’s bench. Chaka Bainbridge was tabbed Director of Player Personnel.
The organization also announced Shelley Sheiner as head coach of Jerusalem Lacrosse Club, while Barocas will lead Tel Aviv Lacrosse Club. The two teams will compete against each other in an exhibition schedule in Israel following the European Championships.
“As a developing lacrosse nation, we’re thrilled with the wealth of experience our coaching staff brings to the table as we make our international debut,” said Israel GM Howard Borkan. “This is the right group to develop players who can make an impact in Israel for years to come. It’s truly a luxury to have them all on board.”
Barocas, who currently serves as the Director of College Scouting of the Denver Outlaws, was recently inducted into the Colorado Lacrosse Hall of Fame in recognition of his legendary leadership as head coach at East Manual/Denver East High School. His combined teams won over 75% of their games and produced nine Colorado State Championships. He has coached 31 High School All-Americans, a pair of two-time NCAA D1 All-Americans, and players who have participated on eight NCAA Championship teams.
Ginnegar, who is currently serving in his eighth season as head coach at Claremont College, has a wide range of collegiate coaching experience in his 29-year-career. He previously coached at D1 programs such as Cornell, Gannon, Mercyhurst and Ohio State, as well as stints with Babson, Lake Forest, Mary Washington, Mount Union and Springfield College. His lifetime coaching record is 242-150.
Greenberg, a 1998 inductee of the US Lacrosse National Hall of Fame, helped guide Johns Hopkins to perhaps the finest four-year period in school history as Hopkins posted a staggering 51-4 record during his career, winning three consecutive NCAA titles from 1978-80. A four-time All-American, Greenberg earned the William C. Schmeisser Award as the nation’s outstanding defenseman in 1979 and 1980. In addition, he was named the 1979 recipient of the Lt. Raymond J. Enners Award, which is presented annually to the top player in the nation. Greenberg garnered All-World honors in helping the United States win gold at the 1982 World Championship.
Sheiner, who is currently serving in his eighth season as head coach at Kean University, has gradually improved his squad during his tenure, posting five-straight 10-plus win seasons and capturing the ECAC Championship last year. He previously served as head coach at Indian Hills High School in Oakland, NJ, earning New Jersey Lacrosse Coach of the Year for the Rizk Division in 2000.
Bainbridge, a current member of the regional attorney board for the Professional Lacrosse Players Association, manages over 200 athletes, including 70 professional lacrosse players. He played collegiate lacrosse at the University of Western Ontario, as well as the New Zealand national lacrosse team which competed at the 2006 World Lacrosse Championship.
Israeli player tryouts will be held on Thursday, February 16, 2012, at Kraft Stadium in Jerusalem. For more information on the European Lacrosse Championships, visit www.ec12lacrosse.com.
Israel Lacrosse, an organization dedicated to the development of the sport of lacrosse in Israel, was officially recognized by the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) as an Associate Member in April of 2011. For more information on Israel Lacrosse, visit www.lacrosse.co.il.
