Pat Murphy

Lynne Best couldn't contain herself when asked about the contributions of Joe Ovalle.

Ovalle is the coach and coordinator of the Coppell High School women's lacrosse team. He first started coaching the team three years ago on the urging of his daughter, and at a time when he hardly knew anything about the sport.

But after learning the rules, Ovalle has continued coaching the team even though his daughter, Michelle, is now a freshman at Southwest Texas State University.

Best, the manager of the men's and women's junior varsity and varsity lacrosse teams at Coppell High School, said she wouldn't know how to survive without Ovalle around.

"We would be dead without him,'' Best said. "The man deserves some public gratitude because he works so hard."

"He knew nothing about the game when he took over. But he took some refresher courses and he has been instrumental in getting the women's program together in Coppell.''

Ovalle said he was glad he was available when Coppell came looking for a lacrosse coach.

"My daughter was a junior in high school and had seen some of the guys' team play, and said why don't we start a girls team,'' Ovalle said. "She started working with some people on this, and the next thing I knew they needed a coach and I got recruited.''

"It's an exciting game, and it's a fast game,'' he said. "We're trying to keep the youth in Coppell involved in athletics and this is another good outlet for them.

"The thing about lacrosse is that it doesn't demand the biggest kid, the tallest kid or the fastest kid. So it fits a lot of the average athletes. But it requires some physical agility and a little bit of speed and stick-handling skills.''

Ovalle said his team consist of some soccer, basketball and volleyball players, and some members of the dance and band organizations.

Best said Ovalle has always put his entire mind, body and soul into the lacrosse program.

"His daughter has graduated and gone on to college and the poor man still is coaching,'' Best said, laughing. "He's coaching without a child in the program, and anyone who does that without their kid there has to have some love for it.

"His organization skills and enthusiasm, and his ability to inspire the girls, are his best assests. The girls love him to death.''

Ovalle is quick to admit he's had plenty of help with the Coppell program off the ground. His friend, Russ Bolling, has been very helpful. And Holly McNurten, who started the lacrosse program at Texas A&M, is now a technical and strategy coach for Coppell High.

"The sport is growing quite a bit,'' Ovalle said. "And I've had a lot of fun with this organization.''