Heights Athletic Director Dan Lively and Head Lacrosse Coach Dave Mitchell ’05 announced earlier this week that Dave would be leaving the program and be replaced by his brother, Boh Mitchell ’07.
Coach Dave said “After 12 years of leading The Heights Lacrosse Team, I have decided to accept a position as the Head Coach at DeMatha Catholic High School. I would not consider stepping away from this wonderful community without knowing the Program was in great hands, and I know Coach Boh and his staff will lead the Program admirably. I am grateful to Alvaro de Vicente and Dan Lively for giving me this terrific opportunity. I am grateful for the relationships I have made with players, parents, coaches, faculty, and staff at The Heights School, and I look forward to growing in friendship with all of you for many years to come. I will always be a Heights man, and I will always treasure the memories we have together. Go Cavs!”
Dan Lively added “I want to thank Coach Mitchell for his incredible example and service to The Heights Lacrosse Program. In Dave’s 12 years and 11 seasons, the team posted a 113-79 record, with first-time victories over Bishop O’Connell, St. Mary’s Ryken, Good Counsel, St. Albans, and DeMatha, and winning 2 Metro Independent Lacrosse League Championships against Calverton. He coached 9 Washington Post All-Met Honorable Mentions, 1 Washington Post First Team Selection, 2 US Lacrosse Academic All-Americans, and 4 US Lacrosse All-Americans. Coach Mitchell was voted US Lacrosse Coach of the Year in 2011, 2013, 2017, & 2018. Aside from his coaching success, I was always most grateful for the way that our teams represented The Heights on the field. Over the years, I have watched as our teams played with great toughness and sportsmanship, and this is due in large part to Dave carrying The Heights mission onto the field each day. I wish Dave great luck at DeMatha, except of course, when he plays the Cavaliers.”
Lively continued “Moving forward, I am very pleased to announce that Coach Boh Mitchell will take over as Head Coach of The Heights Lacrosse Program. As an alumnus of The Heights, a former Varsity Captain, and a Cavalier Award winner, I know Boh is the perfect coach to continue to build our program. Boh is a firm believer in the mission of The Heights and will bring that not only to his coaching but also to his mentoring of your sons. Boh has spent the past seven years as Associate Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator for The Heights, so I know that this will be a seamless transition for our young men in the program. In addition to his coaching experience at The Heights, Boh has considerable head coaching experience with Next Level Lacrosse at all age-group levels. While program stability is a great benefit that Boh brings as the new Head Coach, I am also very excited to see Boh have the opportunity to implement his own unique coaching philosophy into the program.
In closing, I want to thank Dave for his tremendous work at The Heights in the last 12 years and wish him good luck in his future coaching. I am also very excited for this new chapter in Heights Lacrosse under Coach Boh’s leadership.”
As members of the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC), The Heights and DeMatha play each other every season. Look for a great match-up in the spring of 2022!