David ‘Dave’ Cerny, a longstanding youth coach and volunteer with the North Coast Ohio Chapter of US Lacrosse, has been selected as the winner of the 2020 US Lacrosse Homer R. Schwartz Chapter Leadership Award. 

The award was created in 2014 to recognize a US Lacrosse chapter leader who embodies the same qualities of passion and dedication that Schwartz provided as a longtime US Lacrosse chapter volunteer. Cerny becomes the eighth recipient of the award. 

Cerny joined the leadership board of his regional chapter in 2012 and served as president from 2014-16. He remains active on the board as past president and secretary. He has also served nationally on US Lacrosse’s Chapter Effectiveness Committee. 

As chapter president, Cerny’s skills as an administrator yielded greater board functionality and increased accountability. He was instrumental in the development of the Ohio City initiative, working with national leaders for the implementation of the Lacrosse Communities Project, a strategic effort to grow lacrosse in racially, ethnically and economically diverse neighborhoods in cities across the country.

“Dave is extremely humble and is the first to deflect credit for many accomplishments,” said Drew Roggenburk, who has served alongside Cerny on the chapter’s leadership board for many years. “Dave makes it a point to be a listener and a communicator.” 

Cerny’s chapter leadership is just a small part of his lifetime connection to lacrosse that extends over 40 years as a player, coach and administrator. Following an All-American collegiate playing career at Albany, he served as an assistant coach at Notre Dame before moving into youth and high school coaching. He remains active on the sidelines as a member of the coaching staff at St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland. 

“It’s never about Dave; it is always about the game. He always exemplifies integrity, leadership and compassion. He is a thoughtful leader that focuses on all aspects of the game,” Roggenburk said. “The game of lacrosse in the North Coast of Ohio is better as a result of Dave Cerny.”

Through the years, Cerny has intentionally forged strong relationships with lacrosse community leaders from many regions and with national leaders, seeking to work collaboratively to support the growth of the game. His tireless and selfless efforts have been recognized and appreciated by many. 

Prior winners of the Homer R. Schwartz Award are:

2014 — Jim Old, Hampton Roads Chapter
2014 — Tamara Boots (posthumous), St. Louis Chapter 
2015 — Harry Jacobs, Long Island Metro Chapter
2016 — Don Aiello, Northern California Chapter
2017 — Clark Bell, Michigan Chapter
2018 — Scott Growney, Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter
2019 — Donna Rose (posthumous), South Florida Chapter

Homer Schwartz served as president of the Potomac Chapter of US Lacrosse for 14 years and passed away in 2012. Due in large measure to his enthusiastic leadership, selfless service and contagious love for the game, Potomac’s membership grew from 1,200 to 10,000 during his tenure.