Mike Acee
Mike grew up in Deer Park, New York, in a Hall of Fame household on Long Island. His father, Fred Acee, a Hall of Fame coach, first put a stick in his hands, and that head start showed: Mike earned All-American recognition and a spot on Team Long Island at the New York Empire State Games, where the team captured a Gold Medal.
He went on to play at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill under Coach Willie Scroggs, one of the most respected coaches in the sport’s history. Coach Scroggs built a program defined by elite standards, one that produced six ACC Championships and three NCAA titles during his tenure. Mike started at attack and was part of four ACC Championship teams, a National Championship team, and a Final Four run, years that shaped how he thinks about accountability, fundamentals, and competing for something bigger than himself.
After eight years in San Francisco, Mike settled in Park City in 2005, drawn by the mountains and the chance to pair snowboarding with coaching. He spent six years as an AASI Level 3 snowboard trainer at Park City Mountain Resort before returning his full attention to lacrosse. He is USA Lacrosse Certified.
He began coaching locally, working with youth recreation teams in Park City and at The Waterford School. Over seven seasons, those teams went 126–36 and won three state championships.
In 2009, Mike founded 212 Lacrosse. The name is a nod to the New York area code, to where he comes from. So is the conviction behind it: players improve fastest when they get real attention. That means small groups, low coach-to-player ratios, and semi-private sessions where a coach can read a player’s game, target the skills that will actually move them forward, and coach to their potential instead of a one-size-fits-all routine.
Seventeen years in, the program has compiled a 506–124 tournament record with 44 tournament titles, and more than 3,000 players have come through it. The run includes five consecutive Sandstorm titles across both the girls’ and boys’ teams, six San Diego titles across the Legends and 3-D events, and two Vail Lacrosse Tournament titles against elite national competition. None of that belongs to Mike alone. It belongs to the players, coaches, and families who built it.
The outcomes he points to are the players’: 98 college lacrosse commitments, 10 players drafted to the PLL and NLL, 7 invited to U19 Team USA tryouts, more than 50 New Balance All-America selections, and multiple Utah All-State honorees.
212 is also meant to be open to everyone. The program provides free training for families facing financial hardship, and its teams have organized charity efforts for families in need, including support for the Graham Harden Cause. Mike’s position is simple: the game should be for everyone, and no child should miss out because of financial circumstances.
Highlights
- Grew up in Deer Park, NY, a Hall of Fame household; introduced to lacrosse by Hall of Fame coach Fred Acee
- All-American · Team Long Island, New York Empire State Games, Gold Medal
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, started at attack under Coach Willie Scroggs
- 4× ACC Champion · 1× NCAA National Champion · Final Four appearance at UNC
- USA Lacrosse Certified · AASI Level 3 snowboard trainer
- Youth teams in Park City and The Waterford School: 126–36, 3 state championships over 7 seasons
- Founded 212 Lacrosse in 2009: 17 years, 506–124 tournament record, 44 tournament titles, 3,000+ players coached
- 5 consecutive Sandstorm titles · 6 San Diego titles (Legends & 3-D) · 2 Vail Lacrosse Tournament titles
- 98 college commitments · 10 PLL/NLL draft picks · 7 U19 Team USA tryout invitations · 50+ New Balance All-America selections
- Free training for families facing financial hardship; charity work including the Graham Harden Cause