Lizards name B.J. O'Hara as coach
B.J. O'Hara, then-coach of the Denver Outlaws, talks to the team in the locker room, before their game against the Boston Cannons at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on July 4, 2015, in Denver. Credit: Getty Images/Marc Piscotty
The Lizards hired B.J. O'Hara as their new coach, the team announced Wednesday.
O'Hara replaces Joe Spallina, who is focusing on his duties as general manager.
O'Hara most recently was the coach of the Denver Outlaws. He won Major League Lacrosse championships with Denver in 2014, 2016 and 2018 as well as with the Rochester Rattlers in 2008.
“I’m very excited,” O’Hara said in a statement released by the team. “I’m really looking forward to rolling up my sleeves and getting started. I really believe that the game belongs to the players and we’re going to let them loose and play a fast-paced exciting brand all over the field. We’ll definitely share the ball on offense and look for lots of assisted goals and lots of good teamwork and on the other end certainly some tenacious defensive play and trying to create transition lacrosse as well. The offense will be a high RPM.”
O'Hara has an 81-67 regular-season record and is 9-4 in the playoffs.
“[O’Hara] brings a championship pedigree,” Spallina said in a statement. “He’s somebody that has always had great relationships with his players. I think he has a tremendous reputation of success and along with that success comes experience. When we laid out the things that fit our search, he checked all of those boxes.”
The Lizards open their 2019 season on May 31 at Hofstra's Shuart Stadium against O'Hara's former team, the Outlaws.
Nick Klopsis is Newsday.com's sports editor. He often can be found studying NFL and college football film for his latest draft breakdown.
