KANSAS CITY, Mo.—This past weekend, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Lacrosse Ministry honored Michael Jolly, head lacrosse coach at De La Salle Collegiate High School, with the 2017 Peter Kohn Award. Jolly was presented with the award at the US Lacrosse National Convention in Baltimore on Friday during the keynote address.
For the past 28 years, FCA Lacrosse has had a presence at the convention and once again hosted a free Fellowship Lunch at Geppi’s Entertainment Museum, where current University of Utah Men’s Lacrosse Coach Brian Holman, University of Goucher Men’s Lacrosse Coach Brian Kelly and McDonogh High School Men’s Lacrosse Coach Andy Hilgartner all shared about their faith journey.
“I am truly blessed by God’s goodness,” Jolly said about his honor. “I have received a lot of awards during my time in the lacrosse community, but this one is extra special. Peter Kohn was a close personal friend of mine and he made a huge impact on my life. Peter will always hold a special place in my heart and I am beyond blessed and thankful to receive this special award.”
Added FCA Lacrosse Director Ryan Horanburg, “I couldn’t be more excited to honor a great man of faith. Coach Jolly truly exemplifies what the Peter Kohn Award is all about. I am honored to have worked with Coach Jolly in several different capacities during my nine years as the Director of FCA Lacrosse. Over the 16 years that he has been involved with our FCA Lacrosse Gettysburg Camp, he has brought over 250 campers from the state of Michigan, via bus, to be impacted in a special way. I am thankful to call Coach Jolly a teammate, a friend, and brother in Christ.”
The Peter Kohn Award is named for one of the most beloved and unique figures in the lacrosse world. For 50 years, Kohn was connected to the sport of lacrosse. A recent subject of a documentary chronicling his life, Kohn started as a field manager for the Park School in Baltimore in 1954. His role as team manager continued with the U.S. National Team from 1978 to 1998, the North-South All-Star game for 25-plus years, club teams in the United States Club Lacrosse Association for more than 20 years, Middlebury College from 1981-2003 and numerous other lacrosse events over the years. The lacrosse field at Middlebury was named in his honor, and he was previously inducted into the U.S. Lacrosse New England Hall of Fame. Kohn was inducted into the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2004 and is one of the few people who did not actually play the sport to have been inducted.
Kohn served as a volunteer with FCA Lacrosse from 1988 until his death in 2009. He was, and still is, one of the most recognized figures in the game of lacrosse and exemplified the Christian principles and FCA values of Serving, Integrity, Teamwork and Excellence on and off the lacrosse field.
Each year, the Peter Kohn Award, established in 1998, is given to a member of the lacrosse community who best represents the scripture, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13) and exemplifies the Christian principles of character, integrity, excellence and teamwork on and off the lacrosse field.
Nominations for future award winners can be made by submitting names to FCA Lacrosse at fcalax@gmail.com or by calling (410) 891-2643. For more information about attending or sponsoring this year’s FCA Lacrosse Lunch and the Peter Kohn Award, email fcalax@gmail.com.
Past Peter Kohn Award recipients include:
- 1998 – Peter Kohn
- 1999 – Hank Janczyk
- 2000 – Buddy Beardmore
- 2001 – Jim Darcangelo
- 2002 – Susan Powell
- 2003 – Bob Scott
- 2004 – Jerry Schmidt
- 2005 – Richie Moran
- 2006 – Jim Grube
- 2007 – Ed Britton
- 2008 – Dave Urick
- 2009 – Richie Meade
- 2010 – Brad Corrigan
- 2011 – Dr. Frederick Douglass Opie
- 2012 – The Colleluori Family
- 2013 – The Kelly Family
- 2014 – Steve Stenersen
- 2015 – Aimee Dixon
- 2016 – Sgt. James J. Regan and Lead the Way Foundation