ABOUT US

Letter from the Athletic Director

Mandarin High School Mission

MEET OUR COACHES

Bobby Ramsay

Head Varsity Football

Bobby Ramsay began his coaching at Lincoln high school in 2001 working with the defensive ends. From 2002-2004 I was he defensive line Coach at Trinity University in San Antonio Texas. In 2002 Trinity played in the 2002 division 3 national championship game. In 2003 Jarrod Smith , defensive end, became the most decorated player in Trinity history winning multiple first team all American honors.From 2005 – 2007 coaches defensive line and was the head track coach at First Coast High School. In 2007 First Coast reached the state quarterfinals.From 2008-2016 head coach Yulee High school. 2011,12 district champions. 2012 state semifinalist. 2010, 2016 district runner up, first round playoffs. 9 consecutive winning seasons. Yulee graduate Derrick Henry was 2015 Heisman Trophy winner. Coached in the 2015 FACA state all star game, 2010-2017 war of the border all star game. 2014 head coach nffca team speed. Played 1997-2000 McMurry University. 2000 Team captain, defensive MVP. Received masters degree from FSU in 2002.

George McCleod

Head Varsity Boys Basketball

George McCleod was born in South Florida and raised at the Northern tip of Broward County in Deerfield Beach. He graduated from Deerfield Beach High School in 1995 where he was a member of the boys’ basketball team, the orchestra, and the jazz band. In the fall of 1995 he was awarded a scholarship to play basketball at the University of North Florida (UNF) under the direction of Coaches Rich Zvosec and Sidney Green. In 1999 George McCleod received his Bachelors of Arts and Science majoring in Criminology with a minor in Sociology. After graduating from U.N.F., Coach McCleod began his coaching career as a men’s assistant basketball coach at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida. Following his collegiate coaching career, he served as an assistant girls’ basketball coach at The Bolles School and Paxon School for Advanced Studies in Jacksonville, Florida for a total of five years. In the 2006-2007 school year he accepted his first head coaching position at Englewood High School (EHS) in Jacksonville, Florida, where he also taught students with disabilities. In 2012 he led the team to its first regional playoff game in nearly 10 years. After 6 wonderful years at EHS, Coach McCleod accepted the girls’ basketball head coaching position at Mandarin High School where he led the team to a second straight district championship and regional playoff appearance.Coach McCleod is in his fourth year as Mandarin’s head boys’ basketball coach and is excited about the overall direction of the team, athletic department, and school. He is currently in his 17th year as a Duval County School Board employee. He earned A Master’s degree in Coaching and Athletic Administration at Concordia University at Irvine in August 2016. He is supported in all of his endeavors by his lovely wife Shante McCleod and two beautiful children, Myiah and Dylan. Coach McCleod’s philosophy is simple. We must strive to be our B.E.S.T (Being Exceptionally Special Today) in all that we do so that we may positively influence others to do the same.

Natalia Gonzalez

Head Softball

Coach Natalia Gonzalez enters her 16th year as the Head Softball Coach at Mandarin High School. Throughout her years at Mandarin she has compiled a record of 308-99, while guiding the Mustangs to 10 District Championships, 9 Gateway Conference Championships and 2 State Final Four appearances. She is a graduate of the University of North Florida where she played center field for the Lady Ospreys. She is currently a Physical Education teacher at Mandarin High.

Ashley Nicks

Head Coach of the Bowling team, JV Girl’s Soccer, and Asst. Varsity Lacrosse

My name is Ashley Nicks and I have had the pleasure coaching at Mandarin for the last 4 years. I am the Head Coach of the Bowling team, JV Girl’s Soccer, and Asst. Varsity Lacrosse. Nothing has made me happier than earning the title of Coach. I am a sports enthusiast. I currently play rugby for the Jacksonville Sinners and I am the Baseball Operations Manager and Social Media Coordinator for the Jacksonville Indians semi-professional baseball team. Working with my student athletes is one of the greatest experience I have had. My girls teach me as much as I teach them. I am very blessed that I am coach for one of the most competitive schools in Duval County. Go Mustangs!

Sidney Dent

Head Girls Cross Country

Coach Sidney Dent is in her 5th season as the Head Girls Cross Country coach. She is in her 10th year as a teacher and coach at Mandarin High School. After her team placed in the top ten teams at the state level in 2015, she received the Mike Houser XC Coach of the Year for the Gateway Conference. In her personal world, Coach Dent enjoys running all distances and ran the Boston Marathon in 2016. She is married to Coach Eric Dent (soccer coach and teacher at Lee High School). They have one son together.

Jim Schmitt

Head Boys Cross Country

Boys’ Cross-Country Coach Jim Schmitt, Mandarin High School Boys Head Coach: 2002-2015, 2018-

Certifications and Recognition: USTF Level I and Level II certification USTFCCCA Technical Track and Field Certification USTFCCCA Endurance Specialist Certification

DCPS Mike Houser Coaching Award for Cross-Country: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015

Team Championships: Gateway Conference Championships, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014,2015 District Championships, 2011, 2012, 2013, Runners-up: 2008, 2009, 2010,2015 Regional Champions, 2015 Regional Championships: Runners-up: 2010, 2012 6 straight State Meet Appearances: (2009-present) State Runner-up: 2012 4th in State: 2013

Mike Dingfield

Head B/G Swimming

Mike grew up in Jacksonville and swam competitively during his high school years at Wolfson and Bolles. He earned a scholarship to swim at Western Kentucky University, where he ended his swimming career ranked in their All Time Top 10 for the 50, 100 and 200 free. After college, Mike moved to Louisville, KY, where he married the love of his life, Angie. Eventually, he moved his family back home to Jacksonville and went to work at Florida Blue, where he is still employed today. In 2009, Mike was hired as an assistant coach with a local club team, the Episcopal Amberjax and in 2012, he took over the head coaching position at Mandarin High School. He has a deep love of the sport and a passion for helping student athletes succeed in the classroom, in the pool and in life. He has coached National Qualifiers and has several swimmers competing at the collegiate level. Mike and Angie have 4 children; 2 currently swim in college and the remaining 2 swim for Mandarin High as well as the Mandarin Aquatic Club.

John Evans

Head Wrestling

Coach Evans has been coaching and mentoring student-athletes for the past 22 years. He has coached all levels of football and wrestling during that time. He has been the head wrestling coach, and an assistant football coach at Mandarin for the past 4 years. As a coach he strives to help student-athletes improve their athletic skills, but, more importantly, to be help them become better members of the community and young adults.

Kelly Townsend

Head Girls Weightlifting

Coach Kelly Townsend enters her 3rd year as the Head Girls Weightlifting Coach at Mandarin High School. In her 2 years as the head coach, she has led the Mustangs to win 2 consecutive Gateway Conference Championships, a District Championship, and has made appearances at the State Championship Meet with one athlete placing 5th in the state 2 years in a row. Coach Townsend graduated with a degree in Sport Administration from Florida State University where she played softball for the Seminoles. She currently teaches Physical Education at Mandarin where she is also the assistant varsity softball coach.

Tony Cuthbertson

Head Girls Soccer

Coach Tony Cuthbertson is entering his 2nd season as the Varsity Girls Soccer Head Coach at Mandarin High School. In his first year, he lead the Mustangs to a 7-11-2 record and a regional quarterfinal birth. Tony is a graduate of the University of North Florida where he received his Bachelors of Science in Sport Management. Tony currently serves as the Director of Coaching at Florida Elite Soccer Academy Oakleaf and holds his USSF D and NSCAA National Coaching Licenses.

Jason Cooley

Head Boys Soccer

28 years of coaching experience in both club and high school soccer
• USSF National C coaching license
• USSF National Youth coaching license
• NSCAA Youth license
• Trained in CPR and First Aid
• 8 District Titles (2009,2010,2012-2017)
• 3 State Final 4 (2010,2012,2016)
• 6 Gateway Titles (2009,2011,2012,2013,2014,2017)

Larry Yudin

Head Flag Football

I am in my 25th year of teaching and coaching. From 2004-2009, I was the Head Flag Football Coach at Sandalwood High School where we won the inaugural Gateway Conference Flag Football Tournament in 2006. I also served as the Head Wrestling Coach at Sandalwood from 1999-2009.

I have coached flag football at Mandarin since 2010 as both an assistant coach and head coach. While at Mandarin, the flag football team won consecutive conference championships from 2010-2014, district championships from 2010-2014, qualified for multiple regional playoffs, and were State Runner-Up in 2013.

My philosophy is to get my student-athletes to practice hard, play hard, and work hard in the classroom but above all else, to have fun. I am a firm believer that success on the field, with proper coaching and guidance at home, leads to success in the classroom. I want my student-athletes to move on to become successful in college or whatever their chosen path is after high school and to become productive members of society.

Twitter: @mandarinflag

Meghan Braun

Head Girls Lacrosse

Dr. Meghan Braun, Physical Therapist, is coming into her 5th season with Mandarin girls Lacrosse. Prior to coaching at Mandarin, Coach Braun has coached at many different levels from elementary to college, as well as internationally. She has began programs including The Hockaday (Dallas) middle/elementary programs, St. Augustine HS (FL), and The Bolles school (FL). She played NCAA lacrosse at The University of Dallas, where she accrued many on/off field accolades, including scoring the first goal in Texas Lacrosse History in an NCAA game. She also played this summer in the Prague Cup for a Women’s international team. She currently continues her coaching and playing love with The Lax Box, as well as recently coaching the North Florida Regional HS team at the High School national tournament in Long Island. The Mandarin Girl’s Lacrosse program has had several graduates recruited to play at the collegiate level under Coach Braun, and is continuing to become an important program for the growth of girl’s lacrosse here in North Florida.

Henry Montgomery

Head Boys Lacrosse

Henry Montgomery was born and raised in Gainesville, Fl. He graduated from Gainesville High School in 1989. After high school, he joined the US Navy where he served our country for 5 years during Desert Storm, onboard submarines. In 2009, he began coaching at his alma mater as the JV football head coach. During his time at Gainesville High School, he coached football, baseball and lacrosse. In 2015, he was named, boys lacrosse head coach. As the head coach, GHS appeared in back to back district playoffs, had back to back winning season, and the program grew from 15 to 45 players. He was honorable mention as the 2015 Gainesville Sun coach of the year and US Lacrosse North Florida Chapter Man of the Year. He is a level 3 US Lacrosse certified coach, a board member of the US Lacrosse North Florida Chapter, a US Lacrosse certified coaches education program trainer. As his transition from Gainesville to Jacksonville, Coach Montgomery is excited to be a Mustang and ready to begin his new chapter at Mandarin High School.

Steve Stewart

Head Varsity Baseball & Head Girls Golf

Girls Golf head Coach at Terry Parker High School from 2011- 2015; Regional team appearance in 2015; Mike Houser award recipient 2014

Steve Stewart played college baseball locally for FCCJ and UNF, then went on to play two years of professional baseball for the Milwaukee Brewers making it to class A ball.

Head coach at Terry Parker High School from 2006-2010, earning FACA class 5A District I Coach of the Year honors in 2008.

Assistant baseball coach at Englewood, Eagle’s View, Bolles, and Providence

Currently Head baseball coach at Mandarin High since 2016, earning FACA Coach of the Year honors for class 9A District I in 2016 & 2018. District Champions in 2018

Married to Nicole with two children, Austin and Emma.

Ken Arsenault

Head Boys Golf

Mandarin High Boys Golf Coach 3 seasons

2014 and 2015 Gateway Conference Champions 2014 and 2015 District Champions 2014 Regional Runner-up 2014 Top 12 team finish in State Championships 3A 2016 State Champion Individual Medalist

(2) Baseball Babe Ruth State Champions 2006 and 2008 3rd place finish in the Babe Ruth Southeast Regional 2008 Asst. Varsity Baseball Briggs High School 1987 Girls Softball State Champions 2013 1994 Graduate of The Ohio State University

Agronomy Turf Management/ Business Low Am. Gate Petroleum Open 2005

Thad Boggs

Head Boys Tennis

Coach Thad Boggs is entering his twenty third year as the Boys Tennis Coach. He has been a Physics/Chemistry Teacher at Mandarin High School since 1994. Coach Boggs graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1974 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Textile and Polymer Chemistry and from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1985 with a Master of Science degree is Systems Technology. While the Boys Tennis Coach, his teams have amassed a record of 263 – 96, two Gateway Conference Championships and one District Championship. He has been a multiple year winner of the Mike Houser Award as the Gateway Conference Coach of the Year. He was the 2016 FACA Assistant Coach of the Year. He also is entering his 23rd year as an Assistant Football and was a Boys Basketball Assistant Coach for 20 years. He has been married to the former Mary Catherine Martin since June 1974 and they have one daughter, Angela Nadeau who resides with her husband and grandson in Maryland.

Lori Boyd

Head Volleyball

Lori enjoys raising her three beautiful daughters: Taylor, Kaitlyn & Erica with her husband Eric Boyd. Other than being a mother, wife & coach, she was recently hired as the new AICE and G-J (10-12) guidance counselor at Mandarin High School. She also buys & sells homes part time for investors for her husband’s property management brokerage, Step One Realty. She has been a REALTOR ® since 2013. Prior to getting into real estate, Lori was a Science Teacher/Guidance Counselor for 12 years total in Orange, Duval and Clay County. Despite moving frequently around the globe as an Air Force Military brat, Lori calls Orlando home. After graduating from Oviedo High School, she earned a volleyball scholarship to Brevard Community College and started/specialized as an outside hitter /middle back. She eventually transferred to the University of Central Florida and played as a Defensive Specialist. Lori’s love and passion for the game has never ended. Her positive energy has transitioned into coaching students in both Duval and St. Johns County. She has also served as a head coach and an assistant in JJVA’s Local & National Programs. Lori is very excited to take the reins as Head Coach of the Mustang Volleyball Program.

Anthony Flynn

Head Girls Basketball

Anthony Flynn, a native of Jacksonville, Florida graduated from Jean Ribault High School. He continued his education at Florida A & M University where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Education. During his tenure with Duval County Public Schools, he taught Physical Education for 36 years (1980-2016) at various schools from middle to high school. Coach Flynn has also coached several sporting events such as basketball, football, track, and baseball to name a few. However, his love for football and basketball landed him in opportunities to coach both boys and girls gaining several accolades to his portfolio such Conference Champs to State and National Championship.

6 State Championships – Ribault High School
- Boys Assistant Coach 1990, 1994, 1995
- Girls Assistant Coach 2013, 2015, 2016
Girls National Champion 2016 as Assistant Coach – Ribault High School
Final Four – Boys Head Coach 2007 – Ribault High School
Gateway Conference Champs – Boys Head Coach 2010 – Ribault High School
Gateway Conference Champs – Boys Head Coach 2005 2006 First Coast High School

Coach Flynn believes in empowering all students to be the best person possible. He instills in his players that it takes heart, drive, academics and hard work to be the best. His motto is “The Best Is Yet To Come!”

Lindsey Eldridge

Varsity Cheerleading Coach

Lindsey Eldridge is the Varsity Cheerleading Coach. This is her third year with the Cheerleading program. Coach Eldridge is a Mandarin High School Alumni and has returned to teach Science as a Biology teacher. She has 10 years experience with Competitive Cheerleading and was a Varsity Cheerleader all four years at Mandarin. She has a huge passion for the Mustangs athletics program and can not wait to continue guiding Mandarin Cheerleading to success in their sideline and competitive teams.

Kaitlyn Motyka

Project 17 Athletic Trainer

Kaitlyn Motyka is Mandarin’s new full time Athletic Trainer from Project 17. She graduated with her BS in Athletic Training from UNF, and is currently seeking her Masters in Kinesiology at JU. Kaitlyn stated “I will strive to support, protect, and educate every student athlete so that they may reach their goals here at Mandarin High School. Go Mustangs!!”