Meet The Coaches

Head Coach, Santa Barbara High School

John Keogh

Coach Keogh is the boys Head Coach and personal finance teacher at Santa Barbara High School. John is a native of Fairport, NY and a graduate of Ithaca College (NCAA DIII). He has coached the game at every level for over 25 years.

Keogh coaches his son Finn and the 8U Santa Barbara Hotshots.

Hotshots Coach

Alex Haggerty

Coach Haggerty is a California native who played NCAA D-3 lacrosse at Ohio Wesleyan University. Since graduating college he has helped grow the game coaching throughout CA. In 2021, he started the Monterey High School Boys lacrosse team while building recreational lacrosse leagues for K-8 students with non-profit Lacrosse the Bay.

He currently works as an educator at Goleta Valley Junior High.

Hotshots 14U Blue Coach

UCSB Gauchos Assistant Coach

Grizzlies Lacrosse Club Co-Director

SB Lax School Director/Founder

Drew Hays

University of North Carolina (NCAA Mens D1)

Drew is another Fairport, NY native who played midfield for NCAA D-1 perennial power University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill. He is an exceptional teacher of the game for players of all ages and abilities. Drew is a small business owner and recently launched Galivant Teardrop Trailers which are handcrafted by him in Ventura.

Head Coach, San Marcos High School

Ike Chafkin

Coach Ike has coached youth and high school lacrosse players in Santa Barbara since 2018. He attended NCAA D-III Beloit College (WI) where he played lacrosse and football.

Ike an Account Executive at Essentials in DevOps with Copado, he serves as the Head Coach at San Marcos High School.

Hotshots 14U White Head Coach

Austin Brake

Coach Brake grew up playing lacrosse in Montgomery County, Maryland and played lacrosse at Frostburg State before moving to CA. He has coached all ability and ages with Hotshots since its inception.

A UCSB graduate, Austin is an Account Manager for HG Insights.

Varsity Assistant, San Marcos High School

Nik Brander-Hodosy

Nik is the first local product (Laguna Blanca School) that went on to play lacrosse in the NCAA for D-III for Wheaton College in Massachusetts. He represented the Argentine national team in the 2010 and 2014 World games in Manchester, England and Denver, Colorado respectively.

When not working for the family business, Brander Vineyards, he is the longest tenured high school lacrosse varsity coach for the Royals.

SYV Hotshots Coach

Justin Juarez

MCLA DII Goaltender @ Cal Poly Humboldt 2023-2024

2024 2nd Team All WCLL

MCLA DII Save Percentage Leader (66.8%)
2024 Captain and Club President

Head Varsity Coach @ Dos Pueblos High School (2022)

Assistant Coach @ Dos Pueblos High School (2020-21)

3X Team Captain

Justin graduated from Cal Poly Humboldt with his BA in 2024 and is now pursuing a career as a firefighter. He currently works for Santa Barbara County Fire Department as a fuels crew worker. His goal is to get on a hotshot crew for next fire season.

Hotshots 12U Head Coach

Ben Arenchild

Hotshots 12U Blue Head Coach

Ben is a 2023 graduate from Westmont College and is an Account Executive with Elements when he's not coaching lacrosse.

SBCC Coach

David Tarr

Vanderbilt University

Hotshots Coach

Noah Alford

Noah played high school lacrosse at Bella Vista in Fair Oaks California. He was selected by ADVNC founder and UVA great Chris Rotelli for high school club. He attended the legendary Bill Pilats Goalie school in Roanoke, Virginia all 4 years and was the Goalie MVP at the Philly Uncommitted Showcase 2 years in a row.

Noah played college lacrosse at Sonoma State University and graduated with a degree in Economics and Environmental Science in 2017.

He is a Strategic Accounts Manager for HG Insights.

Hotshots Coach

Ben Wahler

Denver University (NCAA Mens D1)

Ben Wahler is an experienced and recognized member of the lacrosse community for his performance and leadership skills as a student-athlete and team captain at the University of Denver, and for his high school coaching and individual development accomplishments.

Prior to attending DU, Ben attended Cushing Academy in central Mass to pursue his dream of becoming a college hockey or lacrosse player. He then played a year of Junior Hockey in the EJHL before his ambition was met by being recruited to Hobart College as a two-sport athlete. During his freshman year, Ben recognized his growing intention of pursuing his longer term professional goals and was presented with an opportunity to head back near his hometown of CO and continue his story as a member of the Denver Pioneers.

He is currently the head of Global Communications and Experience at Deckers Brands and a Varsity coach at Dos Pueblos High School.

Hotshots Coach

Lucas Martinez

Boston College (NCAA Mens D1)

Lucas Martinez, a Massachusetts native, played for one of the oldest high school programs in the country, Concord-Carlisle. He was selected to All Eastern Mass team his senior year and went on to be a four year starter at Boston College where he earned All League honors.

Coach Martinez enters into his 8th season at Dos Pueblos High School as the Varsity Defensive Coordinator.

Hotshots Coach

Tim Hade

Air Force Academy (NCAA Mens D1)

SB Flames - 8U Head Coach

Hotshots Coach

Casey Hoops

Casey grew up in Woodland Hills and began playing lacrosse in 3rd grade. After high school he attended Sonoma State University from 2018-2023.
At Sonoma State, Casey was named team captain twice and was recognized as an MCLA Scholar Athlete. Coach Hoops was named to the All-Conference Team in his final season with the Seawolves.

Defense/LSM

Sonoma State University (MCLA Div 1)