About Us

Our Mission

Kent Island Youth Lacrosse, through the teaching of the fundamentals and foundations of lacrosse, strives to provide the youth players of the greater Kent Island Community with a healthy, positive, learning experience and environment in which the game of lacrosse can be explored, taught, played, and enjoyed, while instilling good sportsmanship, teamwork, discipline, and integrity.

Board of Directors

A.J. Bowden
President

Paul Venturella
Vice President

Rebecca Ritz
Secretary

Ramsey Kazzi
Treasurer

Paul Marek
Boys Commissioner

Marisa Cole
Member at Large

Jeff Gloede
Member at Large

Dave Lloyd
Member at Large

Matt McCann
Member at Large

Daniel Motto
Member at Large

Jason Spires
Member at Large

Hall of Fame

2019 Induction

Becky Crosby

A KIYL member since 2008, Becky has played a major role in the yearly management of the organization. She has served as Coach, Secretary, President, and Girls Co-Commissioner. In her time with the organization, Becky has done an amazing job keeping the program organized. This entails managing all coaches, handling paperwork, holding monthly meetings, acting as the liaison between AACO and our Board members, filling practice fields and organizing teams, all while focusing on creating a positive environment for the kids to play lacrosse. She has also coached, almost every year @ every level, and even though her own daughter Whitney is currently a Junior at Kent Island High School - she STILL coached a team that was in need this Spring. In fact, Whitney also helps her mom on the sideline.
Becky is a true example of selflessly working hard, for the better of the community - by helping boys and girls of all ages and skill levels, remain engaged in Rec. sports. We are so thankful for your countless hours spent to better Kent Island and the lacrosse players that live here!

Kevin McMahon

A KIYL member since 2011, Kevin also moved around the Board being a Coach, Boys Commissioner, and is currently the Treasurer. Kevin stepped into to this role to help fill a void after his own son graduated from the program. Because he is reliable, knowledgeable, and trustworthy, Kevin remains the Treasurer now, even though his son Conner is almost done his Freshman year at Archbishop Spalding High School and has not been a member of KIYL teams for several years.

Kevin has always put the athletes first and held true to the Rec. roots. Because he is also involved in club ball, he has worked well with our Commissioners to help find that balance between the two. The boys side works differently than the girls, and Kevin has been able to give advice based on experience , on how we can continue to do to grow the program and find the healthy balance for the kids. His advice along with past experiences have been a great asset to the current board members. Kevin demonstrates all the characteristics of a person that you want involved in your organization. He has donated countless hours of selfless work to KIYL - one that does not pay - in order to allow us to continue to provide Rec lacrosse to our community. We thank you Kevin, for all of your time with KIYL.

2012 Induction

Andy Gonzalez

In 2000, Andy Gonzalez was asked to take over the organization from Buddy Breen. Realizing the growth potential of the league, Andy worked with the founders of the league to develop the Board of Directors concept in order to better run the program. Andy's vision was that the organization would be best served by volunteers within the community.

As part of the management of the growing organization, Andy co-authored 1^st bylaws for the group. During his tenure on the Board, Andy has served 3 terms as President, 1 term as Vice President, and 1 term as Boys Coordinator. During this timeframe, Andy was also active in moving the organization from the Eastern Shore League to the Anne Arundel County League. In addition to his volunteer service to the Board, Andy has continually coached boys and girls teams since 1999. In fact, about one dozen of the kids that Andy coached, including his own son Greg, are now playing at the college level.

Beyond his dedication to Kent Island Youth Lacrosse, Andy was co-founder of the Shoreboys, the local area's 1^st club team. He also started the Chesapeake Indoor Lacrosse League

For his countless volunteer hours dedicated to the development of Kent Island Youth Lacrosse, we thank and honor Andy as the third inductee into our Hall of Fame.

Regarding Andy, when it comes to the kids, he is a volunteer for life.

2011 Induction

Al Cantello

Posthumously inducted January 2011

On July 18, 2010 we lost a great contributor to the sport of lacrosse, a great coach, and supporter of this organization - Kent Island Youth Lacrosse.

Coach Al Cantello played and coached this sport for most of his 46 years with a tremendous love and passion for the game. He invested countless hours in the youth of this community while making friends with literally hundreds of families in the process. His spirit for the game on and off the field was evident to all of us and helped most everyone here gain even more knowledge and enthusiasm for the game.

In recognition of his commitment and outstanding contribution to the sport of Lacrosse and in memory of our dear fellow and friend, we hereby induct Al Cantello into our Hall of Fame. We will forever miss our friend and coach and in his loving memory let's start this competition.

2008 Induction

Buddy Breen

The very essence of leadership is that you have to have a vision. It's got to be a vision you articulate clearly and forcefully on every occasion.

Buddy Breen had a vision for youth lacrosse on Kent Island and the Eastern Shore. Not only did he talk about it, he acted on it. Buddy served our organization for over 12 years as the President, Administrator, Board Member, Coach, and in every capacity imaginable to keep our youth lacrosse organization moving forward.

Every year Buddy would dedicate countless hours to Kent Island Youth Lacrosse and the Eastern Shore Youth Lacrosse Association. Without him the organization would not exist today. For over 10 years Buddy ran this organization by himself, establishing the foundation for a program that had 21 travel teams in 2007, and over 160 kids in our in-house program. In 2003 Buddy helped establish a Board of Directors and Bylaws that govern the organization going forward to make sure it succeeds. In 2004 after 14 years of service, Buddy decided to retire from the program. He had continued to run the program long after his kids had graduated from the program.

Buddy’s vision was not only for the youth of Kent Island but for the whole Eastern Shore. In addition to his leadership in the Kent Island community he also served as the President of the Delmarva Chapter of US Lacrosse and as Vice President of the Girls program for the Eastern Shore Youth Lacrosse Association. Buddy was always the voice of passion and reason for the game and the youth of the Eastern Shore.

We will forever be grateful for Buddy’s contributions …

For the game of Lacrosse,
For the youth of Kent Island and our organization,
And for the youth of the Eastern Shore.