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Biographical information on the Ocean State Lacrosse staff
Jeff Popham
Coach Popham has been a driving force in growth of lacrosse in Rhode Island. Jeff served as President of the Rhode Island Lacrosse Association (RILAX) from 2000-2003 and during that time managed a 350% increase in the number of youth playing lacrosse. He also initiated and co-directed the first four annual RILAX Ocean State Lacrosse Classics (2003-2006)
and the first two annual RILAX Awards Banquets (2004-2005). Since 1998, he has served as a Director and Coach in the East Bay Youth Lacrosse organizations. For the past six summers, he has coached U-13, U-15, and high school All-Star Travel teams and worked at numerous clinics and camps. In 2005, he founded the East Bay Indoor Lacrosse League, which provides off-season training and playing opportunities for the region’s youth and high school players. In 2006, he founded the Ocean State Lacrosse Club and fielded competitive travel teams for high school players interested in playing in college recruiting tournaments. Jeff played midfield for Washington College (1978-79) and club ball for the Eastern Shore LC (1976-77), McGarvey's LC (1980), Narragansett LC (1983-84), Newport LC (1985-86). After a hiatus to raise his young children, he resumed playing Masters & Grand Masters lacrosse at Lake Placid and Ocean State Classic with the Stars (2002), Rhode Warriors (2003-2005), Eagles (2006), and the Rhode Wrecks (2005-2007). Other highlights include:
2006-2007 Program Director & Coach Ocean State Summer/Fall Travel teams
2005-2007- Boys Program Director, East Bay Bristol County Lacrosse Association & Head Coach of Seahawks U-15 team, U-13 & U-15 teams
2005- Head Coach of Rhode Island Gold U-15 All-Star Summer Travel Team
2005- Assisted Portsmouth Abbey Boys Varsity team (SENE Division I Champions)
2001-2002, 2004- Assistant Coach of Rhode Island U-13 All-Star Summer Travel Teams
2002- Co-Director of the Rhode Island Indoor Lacrosse League, in honor of the late Scott Shemenski
2000-2003- Co-Founder and President, Rhode Island Lacrosse Association (RILAX)
1998-2004- Co-Director, East Bay Youth Lacrosse, Newport, RI & Head Coach of Numerous East Bay
U-11, U-13, & U-15 teams
1986-1990- Referee, New England and Rhode Island Lacrosse Officials Association
1984-1985- Head Coach, Bryant University Men’s Club Lacrosse Team, Smithfield, RI
1982- Head Coach, New Canaan Jr. High School 7th-8th Grade Team, New Canaan, CT
Jeff and his wife, Mary, reside in Bristol, RI with their sons Jay & Michael, and daughters Grace and Sarah.
Marty Kelly, Boys' Coach, Ocean State Summer, Fall, & Winter programs
Coach Coach photo and bio courtesy of Roger Williams University
Coach Kelly is entering his 6th year of coaching at Roger Williams in 2006-2007. Kelly has led the team to an overall record of 46-36-1 (.554) during his tenure, including a regular season conference record of 28-11 (.717). Three of his teams have appeared in the Commonwealth Coast Conference Tournament Finals and have been selected to participate in the New England ECAC Tournament. Kelly has coached 26 All-Commonwealth Coast Conference players, 1 Commonwealth Coast Conference Senior Scholar-Athlete, 2 All-New England honorees and 1 All-ECAC selection. 3 of his players have been selected to participate in the New England East/West Senior All-Star Game. Kelly was also selected 2002 Commonwealth Coast Conference "Coach of the Year" after finishing his first season with a 12-4 record; he received the award again in 2007.
A native of South Salem, New York, Kelly is a 1988 graduate of John Jay High School. Kelly went on to receive a B.S. degree in Business Administration from Nazareth College in 1992 and later to earn an M.S. degree in Sports Administration from Georgia State University in 1998.
During Kelly's playing days, he was a two-time High School All-American at John Jay High School before going on to serve as a captain for Nazareth College’s first National Championship team in 1992. Kelly was selected NCAA Division III All-America after the 1990, 1991 and 1992 seasons and was chosen as the 1992 recipient of the Lt. Col. J.I. (Jack) Turnbull Award that is given annually to the Outstanding Attackman in Division III. Kelly still ranks among the top all-time in goals scored, assists and total points at Nazareth. Kelly was inducted into the Nazareth College Athletics Hall of Fame in 1998 and the US Lacrosse Hudson Valley Chapter Hall of Fame in 2002.
In addition to his coaching role at Roger Williams, Kelly also serves as Intramurals and Recreation Coordinator in the Department of Athletics, Intramurals and Recreation.
Marty and his wife Wynter reside in East Providence, Rhode Island along with their four daughters Molly, Maeve, Meara and Madelyn.
Bill Villareal, Boys' Coach Ocean State Summer programs
Coach Villareal brings a wealth of knowledge, enthusiasm, and organization to the OSLC programs. A 1990 graduate of the United States Naval Academy. Bill, former 4yr Defenseman, played for current Navy Head Coach Richie Meade. He is currently the Director of the Girls Lacrosse Program for Island Youth Lacrosse (IYL) and Portsmouth Youth Lacrosse (PYL). On the boys side, he successfully coached at the U-13 and U-15 levels. He was awarded the 2005 RILAX IYL Coach Award. He also coaches for the Ocean State Boys Lacrosse team. On the girls side, he successfully coaches at the U-9, U-13 and U-15 levels. He coached the 2006 RI U-13 Festival Team as well. Bill also coaches at the Quick Stix and Ocean State Lacrosse Summer Camps.
Rory Whipple- Field Director of Ocean State Lacrosse Camp
Coach Whipple bio courtesy of Bryant University
One of the most successful coaches in college lacrosse, Rory Whipple has not only built a men’s lacrosse program from scratch, but has turned the Bryant program into one of the premiere teams in the nation.
Over the course of just four seasons, Bryant has made tremendous steps not only within the conference, but on the national level.
Now in his fifth year, Whipple has guided the program to a 41-24 (.631 winning percentage) overall record and a consistent top-10 team year in and year out.
During his tenure at Bryant, Whipple has seen eight players earn All-America honors, including several repeating the honor during their careers. In addition there have been 16 all-conference selections and two player of the year honorees. In 2003, Bryant posted a 12-5 overall record and reached the conference tournament semifinals. Five players earned All-America honors last spring with Kevin Barletta earning his second conference player of the year honor and first team all-America selection.
Whipple was named the New England Division II coach of the year after his first season with the Bulldogs, in which he led Bryant to a 7-7 record in Bryant's first year of varsity lacrosse. In 2001, Whipple helped the Bulldogs achieve their first national ranking, with Bryant ranked as high as No. 6 in Division II during the course of the season.
The 2002 season saw Bryant ranked No. 6 in the final national Division II poll as the Bulldogs earned the top seed for the ECAC Division II tournament. Bryant went on to take its first piece of championship hardware on the Bulldog Stadium field by defeating West Chester in the title game.
Whipple came to Smithfield following 12 years as the head coach at Hartwick College. He took over the Hawk program in 1987, and became the winningest coach in the program's history, stringing together 10 straight winning seasons from 1988-97 and amassing an overall record of 114-65. After leading Hartwick to four consecutive ECAC Upstate New York championships from 1991-94, Whipple brought the Hawks to the NCAA tournament for the first time in 1995.
Prior to taking over at Hartwick, Whipple had spent seven years as the head coach at Clarkson University, where he set a school record for victories with a 10-5 season in 1986. He was recognized as the Independent College Athletic Conference coach of the year following that season.
Whipple has seen 14 of his players selected to participate in the prestigious Division III North/South senior all-star game in Baltimore, and he was selected to coach the North squad in that game in 1993.
Whipple has become involved with lacrosse at the international level as well. He traveled to Japan with a USILA group in the summer of 1993 to work with development programs in that country. In 1994 he was named head coach of the Iroquois National team and led the squad to a fifth place finish at the World Lacrosse Championships in England. In 1994, he also coached the team at the Commonwealth Games in Vancouver.
Whipple returned to Japan in 1996 as a coach of the Iroquois National team for the Under-19 World Championships. In 1999, Whipple coached the Under-19 Iroquois Junior National Team to a bronze medal in the World Games held in Australia. Most recently, he served as an assistant coach on the Iroquois National team that took fourth in the 2002 World Championships in Melbourne, Australia, and saw one player named to the prestigious All-World Team.
A 1976 graduate of Cortland State, Whipple starred in lacrosse for the Red Dragons. He played on the 1975 team that won the NCAA Division II Lacrosse Championship. Whipple also competed in wrestling and was named most valuable player at Cortland twice. He was named to the New York State Section V wrestling Hall of Fame in the spring of 1996.
Whipple and his wife, Judy, are residents of Barrington, R.I., with their daughter, Kristie, and their sons, Max and Connor.
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