Riptide Announce Scouting Staff

New York, NY (August 17, 2020) – The New York Riptide announced today four new hires as the organization builds out the lacrosse operations staff led by General Manager Jim Veltman.

Joining the organization as the Director of Scouting is Joel Johnson, Video Coordinator John Veltman, Eastern Scout Jim Dasberg and Western Scout Jon Nicholson.

“When building an organization that uses a collaborative approach it’s important to surround yourself with quality people,” Jim Veltman said of the hiring’s. “We feel we’ve done that with the recent additions to our scouting and video staff who are all well-respected individuals within the lacrosse community.”

Johnson brings over 17 years of coaching experience at a variety of levels to the role. Currently the head coach of the Oakville Buzz in the OJALL, he has also spent time behind the bench with the Green Gaels of the OJBLL and the Whitby Warriors in the OJALL. In 2015 and 2016 he won Coach of the Year honors with the Brooklin Merchants Senior B team that were Ontario Champions both years following 11 seasons working in the Whitby Minor Lacrosse system with provincial champion teams from peewee to midget. As a player, he won two Founders Cups with the Green Gaels in OJBLL and also played MSL for the Brooklin Redmen and Senior B for the Ajax-Pickering Rock and the Brooklin Merchants.

John Veltman captured three Mann Cups (1992, 1993, 1998) during his 12-year Major Series Lacrosse career with the Brampton Excelsiors. He won multiple best defenseman awards during his career, adding to the one he earned while playing Junior A in Brampton as well. John Veltman played one year in the NLL for the Ottawa Rebel and two seasons with the Ajax-Pickering Rock in Senior B.

A coach with the Whitby Warriors in the OJALL since 2009, Dasberg has over 20 years of coaching experience across a variety of levels in both box and field lacrosse. Throughout his career, he has won numerous Ontario championships behind the bench as well as national championships with Team Ontario. On the floor, he spent three seasons with the Brooklin Redmen in MSL.

Out West, Nicholson is currently an assistant coach with the Nanaimo Timbermen Senior A team in the WLA. Prior to joining the Senior A team behind the bench, he was the Governor and General Manager of the Junior A Timbermen in the BCJALL, earning Executive of the Year Honors in 2014. As a player, Nicholson was a member of the Coquitlam Adanacs in BCJALL and spent three seasons with the Senior A Timbermen as well. He also represented Team Finland in the 2012 European Lacrosse Championships.

For more information please visit NewYorkRiptide.com or on social media at @NewYorkRiptide.