Louis Lucchesi has been named Coach of the Year and Kathi Lucchesi was honored as Person of the Year by the Washington State Chapter of U.S. Lacrosse. Both are with the Lake Tapps lacrosse program.

The Coach of the Year honor is given annually to someone who exemplifies sportsmanship, rapport with officials, other coaches and his or her own players.

Coaching in just his second season at the helm of the Lake Tapps program, Lucchesi led the Lake Tapps boys varsity to the quarterfinals of the Boys Division I state high school tournament with an 11-4-0 record (11-3-0 in the regular season). The postseason appearance was the second straight at the Division I level for Lucchesi and the fourth in the eight-year history of the program.

With just four seniors among 23 student-athletes representing Auburn Riverside, Bonney Lake, Enumclaw, Sumner and White River High Schools, Lucchesi not only delivered a postseason berth, but helped guide three from his squad to the 2012 Boys Division I All-State Third Team – attackman Michael Lucchesi and midfielder Joey Lucchesi, both sophomores at Auburn Riverside High School, and defenseman Hayden Powers, a junior at Bonney Lake High School.

“Because of coach Lucchesi’s great attitude, lacrosse knowledge, and emphasis on sportsmanship, high school lacrosse in the Lake Tapps community has a very bright future,” said Dave Low, president of the Washington State Chapter of US Lacrosse.

Since co-founding the Lake Tapps club in 2002, Kathi Lucchesi has gone on to serve Washington High School Boys Lacrosse Association as league secretary while serving as club secretary and varsity team manager for the past two season.

“In helping to grow the Lake Tapps club from just one to 15 youth and high school level teams in just six years, Kathi Lucchesi represents the highest standards and best qualities possible of a contributor to our sport,” Low said.

Lacrosse is the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. and in Washington state has experienced double-digit annual growth throughout the past decade. With a 34-year local history, 157 individual boys and girls high school teams are available to students attending nearly 200 WIAA schools throughout Washington. The sport is played during the spring season and capped by annual boys and girls state championships in late May.

To learn more, visit www.WashingtonHSLAX.com.