RJ Dawson

Coach

Coach Dawson is one of the co-founders of Swordfish Lacrosse and will coach the U19 team this Fall. This will also be his seventh year coaching at Saint Andrew's. He served as the team's head coach from 2010-2014 In his four years as head coach at Saint Andrew’s his record is 72-14, including the 2012 FHSAA Lacrosse State Championship.

Coach was named Florida Dairy Farmers Boys’ Lacrosse Coach of the Year in 2012 and Sun Sentinel (Palm Beach) Coach of the Year in 2013. The Scots team was awarded the Sportsmanship Award for South Florida during the 2011 season. In both 2008 (While at PC) and 2010 (While at Saint Andrew’s), he received the Boys’ Varsity Assistant Coach of the Year award as recognized by the South Florida Chapter of US Lacrosse. In his 10 years of coaching in South Florida, Coach Dawson has worked with 14 All Americans and 4 Academic All Americans.

RJ coached four years at Pine Crest in Ft. Lauderdale prior to working at Saint Andrew's. He also coached at Northampton High School (MA) for two years and served as the head coach for the Western/Central Massachusetts Bay State Games teams in 2001 and 2002. RJ has coached in the National Lacrosse Classic, representing Florida, for the past three Summers. He is the Director of South Florida Swordfish Organization, and is the co-founder of Claddagh Lacrosse and the Southern Combat Lacrosse.

As a player, Coach Dawson was a 4-year starter at midfield for Alfred University, graduating in 2001. During his time as a Saxon, Coach Dawson was named Offensive MVP, Team Captain, and was names All Empire 8. During his senior year, RJ received the Lt. Kevin Flaherty Award for Leadership. In High School, Coach Dawson was a 2-Time All Western Massachusetts midfielder for Northampton High School, graduating the school’s 3rd All-Time Leading Scorer.


RJ teaches in the Lower School at Saint Andrew’s. He lives in Boca Raton with his wife Jessica, daughters Avery and Dylan, and son Ryder