Chazz Woodson is headed back home to Norfolk, Virginia to be the new men's lacrosse head coach at Hampton University. It is hard to argue that there is a better man to lead a D1 lacrosse team at a Historically Black College or University during an equality movement in America than Chazz. Perfect fit. Perfect time. The lacrosse community is rallying behind him in hopes this story will someday also have a perfect ending.
The 2005 Brown graduate earned a B.A. in Education Studies with a focus on Human Development, and has spent the past 15 years living in Miami where he has served as a teacher, lacrosse program director, and head/assistant coach at Ransom Everglades School. Now he goes back to a place he knows so well since he grew up in Hampton Roads where he played multiple sports including football and lacrosse at Norfolk Academy (through his junior year). His father Ed was a teacher and coach at the Academy and was instrumental in teaching Chazz (and brother Bryce) the game of lacrosse. Now lacrosse brings it full circle at a time when Chazz could make a huge impact for the Hampton program and Norfolk community both on and off the field.
Lacrosse Coach Chazz Woodson on the sideline with Ransom Everglades School during a 2014 regular season game at Pine Crest School
Woodson was one of the most electric and exciting attackman of his time at Brown University. The 2 time All-Ivy selection would use his speed and athleticism to awe fans and frustrate opposing defenses. He would turn his game pro as he played in the now defunct LXM Pro Tour and was also a 2 time All Star during his 10-year Major League Lacrosse career. He became a Miami resident a week after graduating from Brown and was proud to go out of the MLL on his own accord as he played in 3 games with the Florida Launch in 2014, and after missing the 2015 and 2016 seasons, he came back to Boca Raton to score 20 goals in 11 games for the Launch in 2017 before retiring. Chazz now serves as an At-Large Board Member with US Lacrosse and is one of the founders, owners and directors of Sankofa Lacrosse Foundation, which helps support the game mainly in economically challenged and minority communities.
Chazz Woodson makes a pass during a 2011 LXM Pro game played in Towson, Maryland
Woodson was not actively pursuing college coaching positions unless they were at a HBCU, so Hampton has been on his radar since before their inaugural season in 2016. When Head Coach Lloyd Carter left after the 2019 season, Chazz landed an interview but the school hired Rashad Devoe instead. But Devoe would only stick around for 1 season, electing to take on the head coaching position at Amherst College back in May, which opened the door for Chazz to finally come back home to Norfolk. Woodson is intent on bringing stability to the program after it struggled during a winless 0-6 COVID shortened 2020 season. The Florida lacrosse community will certainly miss his presence, but we hope the experience at Ransom Everglades helps him achieve great things with the program at Hampton. We can’t replace a lacrosse legend like Chazz, but we can smile knowing this move will greatly assist him in achieving his mission of celebrating the game of lacrosse with less fortunate communities.
Chazz Woodson poses for photos as a member of the Florida Launch with Myles Jones and Isaiah Davis-Allen of the Chesapeake Bayhawks during his final season in 2017
Article written by Larry Palumbo, released on Wednesday, July 29, 2020 @ 09:00 EST
Photo credits: Larry Palumbo @ www.CoyoteMagicActionShots.com
Graphic Credit: Blake Bailey at Hampton Athletics
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