Dr. Kevin Sheehan

CPresident 

Kevin Sheehan was inspired to create this foundation after coaching Kenya and Reagan in the 2022 U-21 World Lacrosse Games in in Ireland. Kevin’s coaching career spans decades and continents.   After culminating his storied collegiate coaching career by winning the Division II National Championship in 1993, Kevin retired from Adelphi University, but not lacrosse.  Kevin  went on to coach Australia, Spain and Kenya. Seeing the conditions of life for players in Africa after he returned from the 2022  World Lacrosse Games, Kevin collaborated with Reagan to make life and lacrosse sustainable in Uganda forming this foundation. In 2006, Kevin was Inducted into the Long Island Metropolitan Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

Reagan Ochan

Board Member/Treasurer

When his mother left home, Reagan Ochan became the sole support of his family of fourteen at the age of ten in the Kiganda Slum, To survive, Reagan began selling pancakes, and in a twist of fate, his best customers were the lacrosse players at Makere University. Dreaming  lacrosse dreams and learning from You Tube videos, Reagan went on to be the youngest player in the 2018 World Games, playing for the Ugandan Natinal Team. After the games, Reagan became an African lacrosse  legend on social media with more than six thousand Instagram followers.  Meeting Kevin at those world games, began a process that enabled Reagan to live out his dream of education and lacrosse in America as he is currently in his second year playing lacrosse at Nassau Community College carrying  a 3.5  cumulative average.  Reagan’s new dream is to create this foundation and offer this same opportunity for his family and teammates  back in Uganda

Gordon Purdie

Board Member

After representing Australia as a nineteen year old in the 1990 World Games, Gordon Purdie shared the same dream of playing lacrosse in America that Reagan did.  Not getting on the plane home, Gordon met Kevin and Paul Doherty at Adelphi University, where he began his legendary playing career and became a two time All American, leading Adelphi to its highest national ranking. This was only the beginning of Gordon’s lacrosse legacy as he went on represent Australia in four more World Championships and was named outstanding midfielder in the World Games in 1990. Gordon also played for Australia in two indoor world championships. Adelphi was only the beginning of Gordon’s legacy in America as Gordon went on play in the NLL for ten years, and became a  legend in American  club lacrosse.  in 2007, Gordon returned to coach his alma mater, Adelphi University. Gordon joyously brought the national championship back to Adelphi in 2024. The stories of Reagan and Gordon have now come full circle with Reagan now  teaching  Gordon’s "Lessons from Down Under" and creating new lacrosse dreams for all of Gordon’s Checkmate campers and players.