Westminster’s Fleming, Palmetto’s Martino-DiFede are Dade Lacrosse Coaches of the Year
South Florida has two new programs on the rise, as Westminster Christian boys’ lacrosse and Palmetto girls’ lacrosse both made the Florida High School Athletic Association tournament for the first time with first-year coaches.
Those coaches are now the Miami Herald’s Miami-Dade County Lacrosse Coaches of the Year.
In coach CJ Fleming’s first season with the Warriors, Westminster Christian beat Gulliver Prep for the first time ever and secured other signature wins against Columbus, Ransom Everglades and Miami Country Day. In coach Jenna Martino-DiFede’s first season with the Panthers, Palmetto won 6 of 8 games against Miami-Dade opponents.
Fleming moved down to Miami from New York in the summer last year and wanted to blend two styles with the Warriors. He brought some of his traditional lacrosse sensibilities from the northeastern United States, but also reached out to Belen Jesuit coach Alan Bellando and Gulliver coach Jim Piggot to get their advice on coaching the sport in Florida.
He built around attack Matt Handel, midfielder Brandon Micali and defender Ryan Penton — all first-team all-Dade County selections by the Herald — and immediately positioned Westminster Christian among the best teams in the area.
“On paper, we might not be some of the stronger teams,” the Herald’s Miami-Dade County Boys’ Lacrosse Coach of the Year said, “but I feel like just how close we became was an awesome thing.”
CONTINUITY DESPITE CHANGE
Martino-DiFede had been coaching a local club team before taking over in Pinecrest when former coach Kaitlin Pericak, a close friend, moved out of state.
Martino-DiFede kept Julian Mendez on as her assistant coach — he works with her club program — and tried to blend continuity with new ideas.
The result was a historic season for the Panthers.
“I didn’t know necessarily what to expect,” the Herald’s Miami-Dade County Girls’ Lacrosse Coach of the Year said. “At tryouts the first week, we were very impressed.”
This story was originally published June 8, 2022 at 8:50 AM.