The Long Island Rebels
The Long Island Rebels lacrosse program strives to provide an exceptional lacrosse experience for all ages, while maintaining a safe and supportive environment for our student athletes. We seek to promote fundamentally sound lacrosse and the development of personal best and improvement, through personal attention, coaching, and competitive play, regardless of skill level or grade. The Long Island Rebels provide continued education and training to maintain the highest level of play.
The Rebels foster an environment where all of our athletes are encouraged to be their best both on and off of the field. We implement building concepts for lacrosse and life to promote sportsmanship, respect for self, the game and others, and the development of lifetime skills such as leadership and teamwork. The Long Island Rebel program encourages all to strive within the bounds of strong athletic and academic achievement.
The Long Island Rebels lacrosse program provides a venue where having fun, making new friends and enjoying the lacrosse experience is of equal value to learning the game. Camaraderie between players, parents and coaches is developed to provide support for each player to reach their maximum potential, and top exposure to all of the opportunities that the game of lacrosse has to offer.
Tom Gilmartin, the founder and Director of The Long Island Rebels, brings over 30 years of lacrosse experience as a player and coach to the organization. As a coach, Tom helped capture numerous championships at the high school level at St. Anthony’s and youth level in Huntington and Smithtown as well as other elite club programs. A graduate of Syracuse University, Tom played in the midfield for teams that competed for three National Championships in the early 1990’s and was selected to represent Syracuse in the 1992 North/South classic. He was a member of Syracuse University’s 1990 “Team of the Century”. Prior to Syracuse, Tom played his high school lacrosse at St. Anthony’s where he was a four year varsity player and a high school All-American. He was selected to the 1986 Empire State Games and the 1990 U-19 US World Team, both gold medal winning teams. As a football player for the Friars, Tom took home the 1986 Carl Hansen award as the top player in Suffolk County, along with All Long Island, All State and All American accolades.
As director of the LI Rebels, Tom handles the day to day operations of the organization, as well as coaching. The program is marked by a heavy concentration on practice and preparation. During practices, time is allotted to individual skill development drills and training for each position, team concept instruction (i.e. rides, clears, team offense and defense) and game situation play. Preparing practice plans similar to a “college program”, allows for the Rebels staff to address each players individual strengths and weaknesses while providing the necessary team instruction needed for success in competitive play. The goal of helping each player to develop successfully co-exist with the goal of fielding competitive teams.
Tryout announcements will be made shortly through BOTC, and a information page will be up on the web at
www.lirebelslax.com but if you are interested in joining The Rebels or hearing more, please contact Tom at rebelslax@verizon.net
