Julian Watts is the Huntington varsity lacrosse team’s new head coach after Kevin Travis stepped aside from the position.
Watts, who had been serving as the varsity lacrosse team’s assistant coach, has been a full-time Huntington health education teacher since September 2015. Prior to that he worked in the district on a part-time basis for two years. He will be on the Huntington School Board’s March 12 personnel agenda for formal appointment to the head coach position.
A graduate of St. Anthony’s High School, he obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration degree at Hofstra University, where he also earned a master’s degree in health education. He is currently studying for his state administrative certification at Stony Brook University.
Watts lettered in football, basketball and lacrosse in high school. He scooped up 42 ground balls as a senior for the St. Anthony’s lacrosse team. He earned post-season honors in both football and lacrosse.
At Hofstra, Watts played in 60 games as a defender from 2004-2007 and was named team captain his senior year. He went on to earn a spot on the Colonial Athletic Association’s All-Tournament team. He collected 70 ground balls during his collegiate career.
During his playing career, Watts possessed the ability to switch between defense and long-stick midfielder, which added to his value. He played several seasons of professional lacrosse after graduating from Hofstra.
Joe Trezza will serve as one of Watts’ assistants. He was an assistant coach at J. Taylor Finley Middle School last spring.
Trezza earned an undergraduate degree in physical education at Wesley College in 2011. He was a volunteer assistant with the Kings Park High School varsity team in 2015.
Watts has identified a possible second assistant coach who would fill the spot on the staff he vacated to become head coach, but the individual still has to be formally interviewed by district officials and appointed by the Huntington School Board.
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The season officially got underway this past Monday afternoon. The Blue Devils have scrimmages scheduled with Islip, Harborfields, Commack, Northport, Eastport-South Manor, Half Hollow Hills West and John H. Glenn.
Non-league games are scheduled with Kings Park and Comsewogue. Leagues contests are set with North Babylon, Smithtown East, Longwood, Copiague, Walt Whitman, West Islip, William Floyd, Smithtown West, Riverhead, Ward Melville, Brentwood, Connetquot, Lindenhurst and Half Hollow Hills East.
Huntington will feature returning players Patrick Durand, Sam Bergman, Gerard Federici, Cole Pillion, John Tucker, Luke Luckow, Mike Abbondandelo, Ryan Buxton, Jordan McCoy, Nat Amato, Jackson Pitti, JT Duffy, Chris Martin, Jack Stewart, Fred Amato, Ryan Gorecki, Colby Martin, Henry Cartwright, Jaylen Bush and Jon Koumas.
Several players who were on last year’s junior varsity team are also expected to get the call to move up to the Blue Devil varsity.
