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The San Diego Seals are proud to recognize an individual who has made a significant impact in the San Diego Lacrosse community during each home game. Do you know someone who deserves this award? Fill out the form below:
Past Lacrosse Ambassadors Include:
On January 12, 2019, the Seals honored Dennis Yeatman, a man who has been playing, coaching and directing lacrosse programs for 50 years. He played and coached at the Naval Academy and is recognized as the founder of youth lacrosse in this area. In 1996 when his ship changed ports from Bathe, Maine to San Diego, he started the first youth lacrosse program in the city so that his kids would have a place to play.
Yeatman founded the Pacific Lacrosse Festival, one of the larges tournaments in the western US, with 175 teams and more than 3,000 players. He was inducted into the San Diego Chapter of the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2010, and was recognized with the Glassman-Brown Recreational Leadership Award as the area's youth sports volunteer of the year in 2014.
On January 18, 2019, the Seals honored Kylee White, a four-time member of Canadian World Cup teams and the founder of the San Diego State University women's lacrosse team, the first Division I NCAA Women's Lacrosse program in Southern California. In her eight years with the program, they've hosted countless camps and clinics in the community, as well as doing free youth clinics after games.
In 2018, SDSU won its first MPSF Conference Championship, while also boasting a 100% graduation rate.
On February 8, 2019, the Seals honored Keith Quigley, the founder of Puck-Kidz, a non-profit organization started in 2012 as a member of the US Lacrosse "Urban Lacrosse Alliance." Puck-Kidz offers lacrosse camps, clinics, before- and after-school programs, club teams and leagues for elementary through high school age players.
Quigley coaches numerous teams, including Olympian High School in Chula Vista, a program he started six years ago.
On March 2, 2019, the Seals honored Ryan Baker and Bill Lundstrom, the founders of the WLUSA. Baker and Lundstrom met in the late 2000's, and after discovering a mutual love of team sports, founded Wheelchair Lacrosse USA. After their first clinic in 2010, WLSUA has helped grow more than a dozen programs across the country. The Mission of WLUSA is to partner with motivated individuals and programs to grow wheelchair lacrosse across the country. Their ultimate goal is the inclusion of wheelchair lacrosse in the Paralympics.
On March 16, 2019, the Seals honored Matt Holman, a member of the San Diego chapter of US Lacrosse and SDSU Lacrosse Halls of Fame, and the President of southwestern lacrosse conference of the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association. He created the EMW Foundation, a non-profit that runs lacrosse events in Southern California, raising more than $35,000 in support of the American Cancer Society. He also serves as the General Manager of the Uganda Lacrosse Foundation non-profit dedicated to international play for Ugandans at the various federation of international lacrosse levels.
On March 22, 2019, the Seals honored Jessica Battle Morris, a member of the San Diego chapter of US Lacrosse Hall of Fame, two-time CIF Coach of the Year, and the 2015 National Coach of the Year selected by the National Federation of High School Coaches Association. She also serves as the girls' varsity coach at Coronado High School for 19 years, with 12 City League Championships and two CIF titles.
On March 12, 2019, the Seals honored Craig Miller, an active member of the San Diego Lacrosse community for more than 20 years. Craig started coaching at Rancho Bernardo High School, and then spent the next 14 years managing and coaching the San Diego State lacrosse program. Over the years he has held countless positions within the lacrosse community and is also a member of the SDSU Men's Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
On March 19, 2019, the Seals honored Bob Bruni, who has been engaged in the growth and development of lacrosse in San Diego since the 1980's and is currently helping form the San Diego Lacrosse Alliance. Bob built and developed two high school varsity lacrosse programs from scratch and was named Coach of the Year in 1994. In 2016, he was inducted into the San Diego chapter of the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
On March 27, 2019, the Seals honored Bob Duggan, a high school and college official for 44 years. Bob has officiated the NCAA North/South All-Star game and was the crew chief for the first playoff game in California. In 2006, he was inducted in both the San Diego County Officials Hall of Fame, and the San Diego Chapter of the U.S. Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
On May 6, 2019, the Seals honored Bill Parry, a Navy veteran of over 40 years who was the first coach of the Coronado High School lacrosse team. Bill was previously the President of the San Diego County Lacrosse Association and was inducted into the San Diego Chapter of the U.S. Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2008.