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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.
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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 38 years. He has over 350 wins as a varsity coach, taking his teams to numerous play-off appearances. 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 USA 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 38 years. His number 21 is the only number retired in the history of the SDSU Lacrosse program. He is a loyal San Diego Seals fan. He is a retired physical education teacher and currently resides in Poway, California.
MEET THE TEAM
Scott Witkin
FACE OFF CAMP
DIRECTOR
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Scott is the Head Coach at Claremont Colleges and the Argentine National Team. He played his collegiate lacrosse at UCSB. He is in his 12th year teaching at the Great Western Camp.
Masato Takeshita
FACE OFF CAMP
Specialist
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Max Cohen
GOALIE CAMP
DIRECTOR
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Max played goalie at Grossmont High School and at Grossmont College. He is currently the goalie coach for the entire Scripps Ranch youth program and has been Co-Directing our goalie camp for the past 5 years. His coaching style is well liked by his pupils.
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 has been our Goalie Camp Co-Director for the past three years.
Justin Boland
DIVISION 1
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 University. He has a PHd in Psychology which helps him teach the psychological part of the goalie position.
Adam Wirtz
DEFENSE CAMP
Close Defense Specialist
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Adam is the Defensive Coordinator at Gilbert High School in Arizona. He played his collegiate lacrosse at Arizona State University. He runs the BoxLeague in Arizona's East Valley.He is a former camper and has been with us over 15 years
Dallas Hartley
DEFENSE CAMP
DIRECTOR
Dallas is the head coach at Chapman University where he won an MCLA National Championship. He was a standout defensive player in college at Sonoma State University. If you want to learn from the best, Dallas is the coach.
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Alex Siegel
DEFENSE CAMP
LSM Specialist
Alex is the Assistant Coach at Canyon Crest Academy in San Diego. He played his collegiate lacrosse at Chapman University where he won a National Championship his senior year (2016). He is one of the best, new coaches in San Diego.
Mikhael Eyerman
DEFENSE CAMP
Specialist
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Mikhael played his high school lacrosse at Coronado high school in San Diego. He played in college at the University of Delaware. He is a future member of the US Navy. He is in his second year with us.
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Mike Allan
SHOOTING CAMP
DIRECTOR
Mike is the Head Coach at UC Santa Barbara. He played his collegiate lacrosse at
Princeton, where he won a National Championship.
He is in his 13th year
teaching at Camp.
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Michael Dasch
SHOOTING CAMP
COACH
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Michael played his high school lacrosse at Mt. Carmel in San Diego. He is currently playing college lacrosse at Colorado Mesa University. He is in his 3rd year coaching the Great Western Camp.
Jared Holguin
SHOOTING CAMP
COACH
Ed is currently an Assistant Coach with the Boston Cannons professional team. He has coached at St. Pauls in Maryland and Winchester HS in Boston. He played his collegiate lacrosse at the Mass Maritime Academy. He is in his 2nd year teaching at Camp.
Brian Kellison
"The Beast"
SHOOTING CAMP
COACH
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Ed McCarthy
BEGINNER CAMP DIRECTOR
Ed was a former Assistant Coach with the Boston Cannons professional team. He has coached at St. Pauls in Maryland and Winchester HS in Boston. He played his collegiate lacrosse at the Mass Maritime Academy. He is in his 22nd year teaching at Camp.
Russ Olsen
SPIDER TEAM
HEAD COACH
P.J. DeRisi
SPIDER TEAM
COACH
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Alex Siegel
SPIDER TEAM
COACH