tomTOM BAKER
OWNER and DIRECTOR OF XCEL LACROSSE PERFORMANCE TRAINING

Tom has been involved in the growth of lacrosse in the the Central Massachusetts area since he moved here in 2003. One of the founding members of the Team Central Lacrosse Club. Tom’s goal is to help grow the nation’s oldest sport throughout the Central Massachusetts area.

High School Career: Played lacrosse since 1967 making the transition to lacrosse while attending high school in Levittown, New York.

College Career: Two-year starter playing lacrosse at Baltimore Community College in Baltimore, MD.

AWARDS: Two time All-American – Defense, All-Conference Maryland JUCO – Defense, All-Regional XIX JUCO – Defense, MOST VALUABLE PLAYER 1973 and Captain. Captain of the South All Stars playing in the North/South College Lacrosse All Star Game.

FOOTBALL CAREER: As a Football player he was All-Conference Maryland JUCO Tight End, All-Regional XIX JUCO – Tight End.

Tom was offered Full Athletic Scholarships to Maryland and Virginia for lacrosse but choose a Scholarship to play football at the University of Pittsburgh.

Coaching Career:
Eden Prairie High School, Shrewsbury High School, Saint John’s High School, Westboro High School, Assumption College and the Team Central Lacrosse Club.

Tom was recognized by US Lacrosse For:
2002 as US Lacrosse Man-of-the-Year (Minnesota), 2002 Coach-of-the-Year (Minnesota), 2004 US Lacrosse Man-of-the-Year (Massachusetts), 2007 US Lacrosse Assistant Coach-of-the-Year (Massachusetts).

Post College Playing Career:
2 World Games (Manchester, England and Denver). Minnesota Lacrosse Club 1993-2003, Paladins Lacrosse Club 2005 – 2012 and The Ultra Legends 2009-2012.

CURRENT COACHING POSITION: Saint John’s High School, Shrewsbury

Let’s get started… getting back on the field

XCEL will show you how

 

Scott Dube
XCEL ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

Scott began coaching at his alma mater Northbridge High School in 2010 where he assisted with varsity, JV, and youth programs. Scott moved on from Northbridge to Westborough where he spent three years as the JV Head Coach and Varsity Assistant at Westborough High School.

This season Scott made the move from high school to college lacrosse as he is now the Assistant Coach at Nichols College. Throughout his time as a coach Scott has worked with many programs including XCEL Lacrosse and Rising Stars where he assisted in running camps, clinics and travel leagues outside of the regular lacrosse season.

 

melMel McKee
XCEL COACH
Mel was the Head Coach of the Assumption College Men’s Lacrosse Team, also serving as the offensive coordinator and goalkeeper coach for the four seasons. Over that span the Greyhounds improved in most categories including goals per game, assists per game, total points per game and shooting percentage. The team finished second in the Northeast-10 Conference in extra-man goals and success percentage in 2008. In 2011, McKee’s team set a program single-season record for victories with an overall mark of 9-7, including a 5-5 record in Northeast-10 play. The team advanced to the Northeast-10 Conference Tournament for the first time in program history and McKee was named as the 2011 Northeast-10 Conference Coach of the Year.

A long time successful high school head coach at Marian High School (Framingham, MA) (2006) and Ashland High School (1997 2005), McKee was named assistant men’s lacrosse coach at the College in November 2005.

He previously posted a 79-67 overall record at Ashland High in its first years of existence. He led the team to four Eastern Massachusetts tournament appearances in eight varsity seasons including the No. 1 seed in the Division 2 tournament in 2000. He was named the Boston Globe Eastern Mass. Division 2 Coach-of-the-Year and the Metro Central Coach-of-the-Year in 2000.

He was also the founder of the Ashland Youth Lacrosse program and its coach and is a member of the Eastern Mass. Lacrosse Coaching Association (1997-06) and US Lacrosse (since 1999). He played on the Brine Lacrosse Club and a member of the team that advanced to the 1975, 76 Club Lacrosse National Championships.

He graduated from Northeastern University in 1976 with a bachelors in business administration and received his masters (also in business administration) in 1984. He later studied at the Stonier Graduate School of Banking (1985-87) at the University of Delaware.

 

Albert Mitchel
XCEL COACH

Albert Mitchell is in his first season coach at UMass Lowell. With the Riverhawks, Mitchell works primarily with the defensive side of the ball, as well as with the Face-off unit.

Mitchell spent the past two seasons at Mercer University as Offensive Coordinator and Face-off Coach. He also served as an Assistant Coach at Bryant University and Assumption College prior to his time at Mercer.

Mitchell was a four-year starter on the St. Mary’s College of Maryland Men’s Lacrosse team from 2009 to 2013. He was captain of the team when they won the Capital Athletic Conference Championship in 2013. He was a USILA Scholar All-American in 2013 and was a two-time All-Capital Athletic Conference Team selection in 2012 and 2013. In his career, Mitchell scooped 370 ground balls, a St. Mary’s record, and 645 face-off wins. Mitchell graduate from St. Mary’s College in 2013 with a degree in Sociology. He also earned his Master’s degree while at Mercer in Higher Educational Leadership.

Prior to college, Mitchell played at St. John’s High School in Shrewsbury, MA. A three year starter on the varsity team, Mitchell helped the 2009 Pioneers to the district championship, as well as the first ever appearance of a Central Massachusetts team in the State Championship.

 

Natalia Martinez 
XCEL SPORTS AND FITNESS INSTRUCTOR

Natalia graduated from Bridgewater State University with a degree in Physical Education with a Concentration in Exercise Science. She is a certified personal trainer through NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine).

Natalia graduated from Bridgewater State University with a degree in Physical Education with a concentration in Exercise Science. She is a certified personal trainer through NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine). Natalia has been personal training for four years; which has allowed her to hone her skills to train various individuals. However Natalia’s preference and specialties are sport performance enhancement, weight loss, and corrective exercise. She also has experience teaching group instructional classes for TRX and Kettlebells. Natalia has coached lacrosse for three years (two years at Hudson High School, one year at Ashland High School and a club team over the summer called Team Elevate based out of Providence, Rhode Island). Over the summer she was the strength and conditioning instructor for Hudson High School athletes where she trained a large range of athletes such as the football team, lacrosse players, hockey players, soccer players, field hockey players, volleyball players, basketball players, dancers, and track athletes etc. The athletes she has trained range from 13 to college level.

Natalia is currently the Sport and Fitness Instructor for the Boys and Girls Club of MetroWest in Hudson, MA where she works with ages 6 to 18 teaching them about sports, fitness, growing up, great attitudes, hard work, perseverance, great health through healthy habits, the mind to body connection through reading and writing poetry, competitive drives, having “heart”, and most importantly, LIFE.

XCEL Lacrosse Performance Training