There’s no better way to say it – or spell it – Curt Sheinin is the OG of LR lax.

Sheinin – he’s served as Lakeridge boys lacrosse head coach since starting the program back in 1994-95 – made the Pacers’ most recent season one of their best, leading Lakeridge to both Three Rivers League and OHSLA state championships. The Pacers capped their year with a 10-9 win over top-ranked Jesuit in the Oregon High School Lacrosse Association state championship at Ida B. Wells High School on Saturday, June 7.

For Sheinin, 74, the 2025 season will go down as one of his favorites.

“Of all the years – and we’ve got 10 official state championships, and 11 if you include the shortened season in 2021 because of COVID – this is probably the most satisfying of all,” Sheinin said. “Our opponent, Jesuit, made it special. … Twice, we’ve won three state titles in a row. They won three going into this season and this would have been their fourth. Fortunately, we were able to stop them. … It just was very satisfying for our whole team to beat them.”

Here’s a brief look at some of the 2025 Pacers’ many accomplishments.

• The Pacers, led by their 17 seniors, went 21-1 in the just-completed spring season and went unbeaten in Oregon
• Lakeridge went unbeaten (5-0) to win the Three Rivers League title
• The Pacers put together a 12-1 record in their tough-as-nails non-league schedule
• Lakeridge won four straight times in the OHSLA state playoffs

Sheinin’s Pacers were thrilled to have their longtime coach share the spotlight with them.

“It’s nice. We love Curt,” said Lakeridge senior midfielder Kellan Aird. “He does so much for our team and it’s just so great to get him one more.”

“This is his 11th (championship) so I think this is a great way if he wants to end off on it or even keep going,” said Pacer senior defender Kelley Lamb. “It’s a great way to go.”

While Lamb didn’t know it, Sheinin said he has no plans to retire from coaching, and he knows why he wants to keep going – it’s because of his players, his assistant coaches and the many volunteers who help support his program.

 

The assistants

This year’s corps of assistant coaches includes Frank Obiesie, Benton Souers, Pete Lamb and James Williams. Obiesie has served the program for more than a decade, Souers is a former Lakeridge player who runs the offense, Lamb (a former head coach at Lake Oswego) was recently named OHSLA Assistant Coach of the Year, while Williams is another long-term assistant whose son played at Lakeridge previously.

There have been others, too, that Sheinin credited with his long tenure and with his team’s success. That group includes his first assistant, Jeff Hart (a former NFL tackle), Paul Schlesinger (he later served as OHSLA commissioner), Mel Ellis (a former Stanford player), Trevor Tesar (another former Pacer player) and Ian Lamont (a former Lakeridge athletic director).

“It’s been a tremendous advantage for us to have these loyal assistant coaches,” said Sheinin, a volunteer coach who reportedly has never missed a game or practice during his long tenure. “And of course, the group we have right now is terrific.”

 

The volunteers

Beyond his assistants, Sheinin said his program could not function – and could not function as successfully as it does – without its many volunteers, a group led by team administrator Meg Godfrey.

“She has been an incredible help for me. Otherwise, I couldn’t do it,” Sheinin said of Godfrey. “We had over 50 parent volunteers this year … That’s an incredible number when you think about it, and I think one reason is because ever since I started this program, we tried to be family oriented. We tried to make everyone feel a part of the program, whether they were on the field or on the sideline.”

 

The connections

Perhaps Sheinin’s greatest achievement, however, is the long-term connection he’s made with players, coaches and volunteers over a span of more than three decades at the Pacers’ helm.

“When (the championship game) was over, on the bus, I had literally almost 60 texts waiting (from former players and parents), from North Carolina, from New York, from Utah, from Montana, even Auckland, New Zealand – one of our former midfielders watched the game on a live stream from Auckland – and even from (LOSD Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Schiele), who was in Brooklyn,” Sheinin said. “It was incredible how many former players, parents and people watched the game all over the country.”

The key to it all, Sheinin said, is treating people well. As for his players, Sheinin said “I just want to give them a good experience, and hopefully, learn to love the game.”