Cradling and Coordinating: The boys and girls lacrosse teams introduce two newly-hired coaches

Lancer Lacrosse — a local team with East athletes — hired a new Defensive Coordinator, Jordan Schmid, in December around the same time as Shawnee Mission Girls’ Lacrosse hired a new Offensive Coordinator, Aiden McEnerny.

Schmid embodied all the ideas that Lancer Lacrosse head coach Patrick Schmitt was looking for: someone with organizational skills, dedication to the team and — most importantly — the ability to join the “brotherhood” of the team.

“It’s great to have a coach that you can rely on during the game,” Schmitt said. “But how can you come to us if you have a real-world problem? How can I help you in a big brother type of role, while also maintaining that coach relationship?”

This came naturally to Schmid as his lacrosse coaches were some of his biggest mentors throughout his life, since starting his lacrosse career in seventh grade.

He played both offensive and defensive midfield at Marquette University. During his fifth year there while in graduate school he retired from the sport due to multiple torn ACL’s.

But he didn’t want his injuries to stop his love for the sport, so he came on as a coach to remain involved with the team for his final year at Marquette.

With his roughly one year coaching experience at Marquette, he was excited to hear about the open Lancer Lacrosse position from coworker and East 2018 alum Harrison Gooley, whose dad is a board member for the team.

His Marquette teammate and East 2019 alum Griffin Freeze also encouraged him to go for the position. After his three technical interviews, it was “obvious” that the job was fit for him, according to Schmitt, so he accepted the job practically on the spot.

“For me if I can help the guys, be a role model and try to set them up for success in life whether that’s college as a next step or whether that’s going into trade school or thats the military or starting a family, whatever that is down the line if I can help them, learn lessons now thats gonna set them up for their future to me that’s what matters,” Schmid said.

Meanwhile, the girls’ lacrosse team was looking for a new offensive coordinator. Head Coach Lance Turpin wanted someone that he could trust, so he had high hopes when his friend, owner and director of KC Lacrosse Club Kallie Muck gave him a name.

Originally coach-prospect McEnerny reached out to Muck looking for a women’s lacrosse league to join and play for after college graduation, but Muck mentioned the open position for coaching Shawnee Mission Girls Lacrosse instead. Soon after, Muck put McEnery in contact with Turpin.

Turpin’s key desire in his coach hiring process was to have recommendation from trusted colleagues and friends, so Muck’s recommendation of McEnery seemed to be a great fit.

Turpin had already seen her play at Sion, heard that she coached summer leagues and even realized that her brother had coached his son. Not to mention the National Championship she won while playing at Benedictine College.

“I’ve seen her play in high school, and she was hard to stop,” Turpin said. 

Since having a phone interview with Turpin being offered the position, McEnerny has been to a couple of the team’s preseason practices. Sophomore and varsity midfielder Brynn Delaney has already felt the positive impact from the new coach.

“She seems like she’s very invested in everyone, like it doesn’t need to be just Varsity or just JV and she knows what she’s doing, like her lacrosse IQ,” Delaney said.