It is with great pleasure that GFLA announces the recipients of the 2018 Bill Borland Award for Excellence in Coaching, otherwise known as the "Coach of the Year" award.   This year's recipients are:

Michael Plourde -  Boys Coach (12U)

Christine Halvorsen -- Girls Coach (K/2)

All of our coaches are top-notch.  These two coaches went above and beyond

and made us all extra proud to participate in Great Falls Lacrosse!  They epitomize the Positive Coaching Alliance principles we aspire to.  Great job, Coaches!

About Bill Borland:

Wilfred W. “Bill” Borland, Jr., grew up in Northern Virginia and attended Marshall High School where he was an avid wrestler.  He went on to wrestle at LSU and returned to Virginia after serving two years in the military, settling in Great Falls.    Bill was passionate about sports as a player, parent and coach.  Friends describe Bill as “100 percent into” coaching and supporting youth sports.   He was known for his positive coaching manner with the kids and his ability to motivate them.  These qualities enabled Bill to be a revered coach of a variety of sports, some of which he never played, including lacrosse, soccer, football and wrestling.   Bill also supported youth sports through other volunteering.  He coached Great Falls Lacrosse during its first seasons following its formation in 1995.   His varied career included construction and electrical and Bill applied his knowledge and energy toward modernizing the concession stand at Langley HS (named after Bill), bringing sewer and water lines to the stadium.   One of his last projects was to finalize the installation of drop-down lighting in the Langley wresting facility.    Bill was the father of four, Michelle, Brian, Jason and Sean, each of whom attended Langley HS and participated in sports.  Bill’s tragic death in a 2003 left a hole in the hearts of his family, friends, and members of the Great Falls lacrosse community.   We are honored each year to recognize those coaches who, like Bill, are leaving a lasting mark on our boys and girls well into the future.

Dear Parents and Current & Former Players:

You may have noticed some activity near the entrance of our wonderful Nike 4 field.  After many years, we are nearing the completion of the last phase of Nike 4 construction.  An impressive entry gate and donor recognition wall is almost complete.  Soon we will begin construction of a throwing wall capable of use by both lacrosse and field hockey players.   Wall Ball comes to Nike 4!

Information on the donor wall is on our website under the new tab:  Nike 4 Field Fund.   We have limited spaces to recognize both early and more recent supporters who helped to fund our investment in Nike 4.  Many of the original families who started this project years ago have kids who never even had the chance to play on Nike 4.  They did their part to make this wonderful field available for players of today and the future.  Please consider this opportunity to “pay it forward” to future families by supporting this last push to retire the field debt!   

We are also offering an opportunity for contributors at higher levels to have players listed as “alumni.”   If your kids played Great Falls lacrosse, and then took the life lessons they learned onto greater successes later, this is your chance to leave your mark on Nike 4!  For current players, we will list your child according to the year they will finish Spring in 8th grade as that is their anticipated "graduation year" out of GFLA.