Fleming Island High School Girls’ Lacrosse Head Coach Clint Lyons is in the midst of building a perennial playoff-contending team. The Lady Golden Eagles went 9-4 this season, including their first district win in school history.
“We’re kind of a growing program, so it’s nice we won districts and have a chance to win a state playoff game,” says Lyons. “We’ve definitely made good strides here lately.”
Lyons took the job in 2010, three years after the program’s inaugural year. There was little interest in the position, because there were no candidates with prior experience with the game.
“For a few years there, [the team] had a sponsor, but the girls were kind of coaching themselves,” he says.
Lyons took the responsibility on top of his other coaching commitments as a lacrosse novice. The Edward White High School graduate played baseball, football, soccer, and cross country.
“I played sports my whole life, some I’ve been better at than others, but I’d like to think I was decent at most.”
With the help of boys lacrosse coach Jeff LaVangie, he has proven to be a quick study.
“I learned from Coach LaVangie, and I’ve kind of learned [through experience] each season. I’m still no expert by any means compared to a few other coaches around, but I feel like I have a pretty good grasp on [the game]… Sports is sports. There are certain things that I think translate over to any sport, from coaching football and soccer, that have kind of helped me out a little bit.”
Lyons says he is improving in areas of scouting and evaluation. He reads his players and sets them in the best positions to succeed. Organization is a cornerstone of his coaching approach.
“I tell my football players, if you’re organized, that doesn’t mean you’re going to win. It’s not an organizing competition, but at least if you’re organized and you practice, it gives you a chance to go out there and look like you’re a team (laughs). It gives you a chance.”
Lyons’ disposition is more often relaxed than serious, but he aims for balance between the two.
“I try to mix it up. Sometimes when I think they’re being lazy I can yell at them from time to time. But if they’re putting forth the effort, there are times where you have to back off. I was always told from guys that I learned from, older coaches, that the time to really get after them is when they win, because then they think they’re great.”
And when they take a bad loss, he knows he has to let up a bit. Especially with female athletes, he says it’s important to keep a fun atmosphere. The pregame routine stays light. But he is a competitor and reacts accordingly in game situations.
“I preach going into the game: we’re going to do what we do. And if they stop us, we’ll adjust. Play smart, keep it simple, and play fast. If you play fast, you have a chance.”
Lyons is encouraged by the overall growth of lacrosse in the area. What was once strictly a northern sport is now slowly making its way to the Southeast.
“You definitely can tell just within the last fifteen to twenty years, there’s a lot more options for these kids as far as sports are concerned… there certainly wasn’t lacrosse [back then].”
While northern Florida has yet to become a recruiting hotbed, Lyons is confident the area is progressing toward that direction.
“[The University of] Florida’s already a Top-5 program, and they’ve only been around five years. If you look at their roster, it’s still just stacked with girls from the northeast. That’s just where the game’s been around longer. They play sooner. They probably have five-and-six-year-old girls running around with sticks in their hands up there. And you have to imagine the coaching is really good. It’s just the whole deal.”
Lyons and his Golden Eagles seem to be on their way to bringing the whole deal here to Jacksonville and beyond.
Coach’s Corner/ North Florida/ April 2014
Clint Lyons
Fleming Island High School
Orange Park, FL
Brandon Ibarra
Fleming Island Coach Steps Up, Wins District
