Derek Keenan facts for kids

Derek Keenan was born on October 2, 1961, in Oshawa, Ontario. He is a well-known figure in the world of lacrosse. Derek used to play the sport, and now he is a successful coach and general manager. He currently works for the Saskatchewan Rush team in the National Lacrosse League (NLL).

Keenan has won some big awards multiple times. He has won the NLL General Manager of the Year award three times. He also won the Les Bartley Award for Coach of the Year three times. He received both awards in 2006, 2010, and 2014. In 2010, he shared the Coach of the Year award with Chris Hall.

Derek Keenan's Lacrosse Journey

Derek Keenan had a long and impressive career in lacrosse. Before turning professional, he played for several amateur teams. These included the Oshawa Green Gaels and the Brooklin Redmen in Ontario. He also played at Ithaca College, where he was named an All-American player. Keenan even represented Canada on the National Field team in world championships.

Playing Professionally

In 1992, Derek started his professional career. He joined the Buffalo Bandits team. In his first year, he won the Rookie of the Year Award. The Bandits were very successful during his time there. They won the Champions Cup in both seasons he played with them.

After a break, Keenan played a few games for the Toronto Rock in 1999. Soon after, he became an assistant coach for the Rock. He worked under the famous coach Les Bartley. The Toronto Rock won the NLL Championship in 1999. With Bartley as head coach and Keenan as an assistant, the team reached the championship game for the next four years. They won three more times in 2000, 2002, and 2003.

Moving into Coaching and Management

In November 2003, Les Bartley had to step down. Derek Keenan then became the interim general manager for the Toronto Rock. However, after a tough start to the season, Keenan and the interim head coach were replaced.

In 2005, Keenan took on a new challenge. He was hired by the Anaheim Storm as their head coach and general manager. He helped the team improve their record. However, the Storm team stopped playing after the 2005 season.

In July 2005, Keenan was chosen to lead a new team. This team was based in Portland and was later named the "LumberJax." In the 2006, the LumberJax finished first in their division. This was a big achievement for a new team! For this success, Keenan received both the GM of the Year Award and the Les Bartley Award for Coach of the Year.

By November 2012, he was coaching the Edmonton Rush team. That same year, Derek Keenan was honored for his contributions to lacrosse. He was inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame. Today, he is the head coach and general manager of the Saskatchewan Rush.

Family Connections

Derek Keenan has some interesting family connections in the sports world. His second cousin is Mike Keenan, a former head coach in the NHL. Derek's wife, Wendy, was the sister of Hockey Hall of Famer, Joe Nieuwendyk. Wendy passed away on January 2, 2015.

Awards and Achievements

Derek Keenan has earned several important awards during his career:

• NLL Rookie of the Year: 1992
• NLL General Manager of the Year: 2006, 2010, 2014
• Les Bartley Award (Coach of the Year): 2006, 2010 (tied with Chris Hall), 2014