April 12, 2023 | Repost from Lake Shore Central School District FB Page | (Nya:wëh to JOM teacher Vanessa Parker for this article!)
Ron John, Class of 2016 and Seneca Nation member, came home to play on Saturday, April 15, 2023– but not for the Buffalo Bandits.
Ron plays for the New York Riptide, a Uniondale, Long Island-based lacrosse team. A transition player, he works both offense and defense, moving the ball back and forth out on the arena floor.
While at Lake Shore, he was a three-sport athlete and captain, playing football, basketball, and lacrosse for the Eagles. Creating memories while playing with friends, and learning the craft of each sport through great leadership was something he enjoyed most.
“For one, the friends that I made through all of the teams I played on and with, that the memories we made while we were together,” Ron said. “Secondly, it is the respect and relationships I had for my coaches. They work extra because they cared for us so I always felt that it should be reciprocated. It’s easy to be a good player but can you be a good person too? It’s too easy for me to say that I enjoyed lacrosse the most because it’s true, but I think there was nothing that beat walking out to the football field on a nice Friday night. I grew up down the road from the school so I could always hear Mr. Kowal through the stadium PA announcing through the village.”
Ron went on to play Division 1 lacrosse at the University of Albany after high school, where he was a standout midfielder. After college he entered the National Lacrosse League (NLL) draft, selected in the second round to play professional lacrosse for the Colorado Mammoth. Then he was traded to the Riptide.
He was living in Denver, playing for the Colorado Mammoth for just over two months when he learned he was being traded and remembered feeling stunned and sad because he had gotten into the groove of his new surroundings and was happy to play there.
“Thankfully the coaches reached out to me and let me know how tough it was for them too, but in that news they told me how much New York really wanted me,” he said. “That actually is when I started to look forward and be positive about it all. Now everything is so nice, as I’m back around home, my travel on the weekends isn’t far and I can still come back and help coach at the High School.”
With his current team being closer to home, Ron has been able to help coach back here at Lake Shore High School alongside Adrian John (no relation to Ron) and Jordan Cooke.
Since Ron has been coaching kids in the area, as well as different teams and tournaments along the east coast for years, it’s come naturally for him to step in and help with the Lake Shore Varsity team. Ron helped coach the boys while they made their state championship run last year and hopes to see continued success with this year’s team. Ron said that he’s been lucky to have played for a number of great teams and with even greater coaches, so using that experience and pulling things from those teams has been crucial in his own development as a coach.
“I think the number one thing is creating a positive culture,” he said. “Coach Adrian has done a really great job of doing so since he’s been here, a culture where kids want to learn and get better not just on the field but everywhere outside of it, is what makes any team successful, and we feel that every day now while we’re together.”
Garyn John (also no relation to Ron), a senior at the High School who has worked with Ron all his years playing lacrosse at Lake Shore, said that Ron is a good leader and mentor for him and his teammates.
“I think his being in the pros and playing in college, he sets the standards for lacrosse as he knows what’s best, what’s needed to be a good lacrosse player,” he said. “He knows how to coach us to get the best out of everyone.”
Ron’s advice for future lax players is set goals and “legitimately put in the work to achieve them,” he said. “Do the little things right and you will find it easier to navigate through the challenges you go through on the journey. And lastly, is that positivity and respect are circular. Continue to feed out positive energy and continue to show respect to everything around you and that will come back around to you.”
Although the local NLL team is the Buffalo Bandits, make sure to cheer on Lake Shore alum Ron–number 88 in the blue and orange jersey– as he represents the New York Riptide!
Editor’s note: The Buffalo Bandits defeated the New York Riptide, 11-10 in overtime on Saturday, April 15th at KeyBank Center.
