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GREAT WESTERN LACROSSE
OUR MISSION
We are dedicated to providing quality lacrosse education and instruction to student athletes through a variety of programs for boys of any age. We organize our programs so that time commitments are minimal, allowing families to have more flexibility in the off season.
We are the original lacrosse training entity in the San Diego area, founded in 1984, and continue to strive to be the best place for your son to learn the greatest game on the planet! We teach all positions, at all levels, from complete novice to the college recruit.
If we find something that works, we enhance it. If we find something that doesn't, we eliminate it. We are always looking to be better than the day before and encourage your input in that process. We love this sport and we want you to fall in love with it too!
MEET THE COACH
Russ Olsen
Owner / Director / Head Coach
Russ is the founder of Great Western Lacrosse and has been coaching lacrosse for over 30 years. He has over 300 wins as a varsity coach, taking his teams to numerous play-off appearances, divisional Titles and Conference wins. He has two State Championships with two different programs. He is a member of three Halls of Fame, the Novato HS lacrosse Hall of Fame, the San Diego State Lacrosse Hall of Fame and the San Diego Chapter of US Lacrosse Hall of Fame. He still holds 6 scoring records with SDSU and is the Aztec Lacrosse, All Time Scoring Champion with 355 points. He has held this record for 35 years. His number 21 is the only number retired in the history of the SDSU Lacrosse program. He is a retired physical education teacher and is currently the Program Director for the Scripps Ranch Boys Youth Lacrosse Program.
MEET THE TEAM
Scott Witkin
FACE OFF CAMP
DIRECTOR
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Scott is the Assistant Coach at Claremont Colleges and the Argentine National Team. He played his collegiate lacrosse at UCSB. He has brought incredible drills and technique to our face off staff to teach. He is our fearless leader when it comes to facing off.
Masato Takeshita
FACE OFF CAMP
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
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Masato is a former camper. He played his high school lacrosse at Serra HS and his College lacrosse at UCSB where he specialized in facing off and won honorable mention All-American honors in 2007. His style of coaching is strength through quiet resolve.
Max Cohen
GOALIE CAMP
CO-DIRECTOR
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Max has been teaching the goalie position for over 12 years. He played goalie at Grossmont HS & Grossmont College. He is the goalie coach for the Scripps Ranch Youth Lacrosse Program. His style of coaching is one that make it easy for young goalies to learn and develop passion for the position.
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Larry Boehm
GOALIE CAMP
CO-DIRECTOR
Larry is the Head Coach at UC Santa Cruz. He played his collegiate lacrosse at Washington College where he won a National
Championship. He is an excellent technition and adds a passion to his coaching that is unmatched. He is one of the best goalie teachers on the West Coast.
Justin Boland - PhD
GOALIE COACH
Justin played his high school lacrosse at St. Ignatius high school in San Francisco. He played his collegiate lacrosse at San Diego State Where he received all-League honors.
He is a PhD in Psychology so he teaches our young goalies how to deal with the mental stress of the position. He is mister enthusiam from start to finish.
Adam Wirtz
DEFENSE CAMP
CO-DIRECTOR
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Adam is the Defensive
Coordinator at Gilbert High School in Arizona where he played HS lacrosse. He played his Collegiate Lacrosse at Arizona State University. He is the Director of the Misfits Travel Team program in Arizona as well at the Arizona Box Lacrosse League. He is a master at delivering information. He is a former camper and has been on staff ever since (16 years).
Dallas Hartley
DEFENSE CAMP
CO-DIRECTOR
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Dallas played defense in HS at San Dieguito in San Diego. He played his Collegiate Lacrosse at Sonoma State University where he was an all-star long stick midfielder. After a storied career coaching at La Costa Canyon HS, he took the Head Coaching position at Chapman University where he won a MCLA National Championship in 2016. He was also named Coach of the Year.
Dallas can coach any position but his favorite is defense.
Alex Siegel
DEFENSE CAMP COACH
Alex is the Assistant Coach at Canyon Crest Academy in San Diego where he also played. He played his collegiate
lacrosse at Chapman Univ. where he won a National Championship his senior year (2016). Russ Olsen was his HS coach and Dallas Hartley was his College coach so he's been taught by the best. He is passionate about coaching and he goes the extra mile with every camper he teaches. He is also a former camper.
Mike Allan
SHOOTING CAMP DIRECTOR
Mike Allan played his HS lacrosse at the Gilman Schoolin Maryland. He played College Lacrosse at Princeton where he won three National Championships. Mie is the Head Coach at UC Santa Barbara where he has won two National Championships. He also coached at Towson University. Mike is our resident celebrity and one of the finest coaches in the Country.
Michael Dasch
SHOOTING CAMP COACH
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Michael played his high school lacrosse at Mt. Carmel in San Diego. He just finished up his senior year of college lacrosse at Colorado Mesa University. He is a true shooter with a quick release. He brings lots of shooting technique to the players at our camp. He is a former camper and is becoming one of the best shooting coaches in the West.
Come see Coach Dasch!
Jared Holguin
SHOOTING CAMP COACH
Jared played his high school lacrosse at San Dieguito Academy in San Diego. He just finished his senior year of lacrosse at Whittier College where he was a starting attackman and a legasy player. Jared is our resident teacher of the close shots, fakes and finishing. He is a solid coach and one we love having on staff. He is also a former camper.
Brian Kellison
BEGINNER CAMP DIRECTOR
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Brian played his high school lacrosse at Patrick Henry in San Diego where he won a State Championship in 1995. He was selected as the State's MVP. He played his college lacrosse at San Diego State where he was the teams leading scorer as a midfielder for two seasons. Brian is not only a shooting coach but is the Camps Assistant Director as well. He is a former camper too.
Ed McCarthy
BEGINNER CAMP COACH
Ed is currently an Assistant Coach with the Boston Cannons professional team. He has coached at St. Paul's in Maryland and Winchester HS in Boston. He played his collegiate lacrosse at the Mass Maritime Academy. He is a educated professional and brings many coaching techniques to our camp each year. He is also a coaching mentor for young coaches.
Rick Zoener
BEGINNER CAMP COACH
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Rick played his college lacrosse at the University of Massachusetts where he played long stick midfield. Rick has been teaching at this camp for 30 of the 35 years it has been in existence. His attitude is infectious and his enthusiasm is extreme. He is the perfect person to teach absolute beginners the fundamentals of lacrosse.
He is awesome!
Russ Olsen
SPIDER TEAM DIRECTOR
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Russ played his college lacrosse at San Diego State where he holds the career scoring title to this day. His number (21) is retired from the program. He has coached varsity lacrosse in California for the past 32 years compiling over 300 wins. He is currently the program director for the Scripps Ranch Youth Lacrosse program and the Director of Great Western Lacrosse.
Dan Collins
SPIDER TEAM COACH
Dan Played HS lacrosse at Serra in San Diego. He played his College Lacrosse at Chico State where he played defense. He is the former Defensive Coordinator at San Diego State University and is formerly the Defensive Coordinator for the Scripps Ranch Youth Lacrosse Program. Defense is in his blood.
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Jeff McDade
SPIDER TEAM COACH
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Jeff Played his HS lacrosse at Patrick Henry where he won a State Championship in 1995.
He played his college lacrosse at San Diego State University where he played attack. He is the former Head Coach for many years at Granite Hills High School and is currently the Head Coach & Director for the Alpine Youth Lacrosse Program.
Larry Abrams
SPIDER TEAM COACH
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Larry play his High School lacrosse at Patrick Henry where he won a State Championship in 1995. Larry played his college lacrosse at University of Massachusetts. He was the former Assistant Coach at Mt. Carmel HS and is currently a head coach in the Scripps Ranch Youth Lacrosse Program.
Max Cohen
SPIDER TEAM COACH
Max is our Spider Goalie Coach. He has been teaching the goalie position for over 12 years. He played goalie at Grossmont HS & Grossmont College. He is the goalie coach for the Scripps Ranch Youth Lacrosse Program. His style of coaching is one that make it easy for young goalies to learn and develop passion for the position.
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Sam Snider
SPIDER TEAM COACH
Sam is our 5/6 level Head Coach. He was the former goalie at the University of Oregon and is now the Head Coach of the Scripps Ranch 5/6 A team. His style of coaching is one that the players love. He is confident, level headed and it is fun to play for him.
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Matt Scanlin
Matt is a Certified Athletic Trainer. He got his degree and certification from San Diego State University. He is currently the Head Trainer at La Costa Canyon High School.