Lacrosse genes run deep in the Archer family.  But it might have turned out differently.

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Fact is, the Ol’ Stick Game didn’t appeal to Jamie Archer as a kid.  The only stick he wanted to wield was a Louisville Slugger … as shortstop for the New York Yankees.

Fortunately for the world of lacrosse — specifically, Nottingham and Jamesville-DeWitt high schools, Syracuse University, and countless area youngsters — Jamie got ‘hooked’ as a result of an NCAA Tournament championship game he had chosen NOT to attend with his brother!

While tossing the ball around with other kids in the backyard, he occasionally checked radio updates for the score.  SU would rally from a 12-5 deficit against Johns Hopkins, go on an 8-0 scoring blitz and win its first of 11 NCAA titles.

Thereafter, Archer attended a lacrosse camp … and the rest is, well, perhaps you already know.  He became a high school All-American at Nottingham and was a 3rd team A-A attack in 1993 at SU, playing in four Final Fours, winning two National Championships under legendary Hall of Famer Roy ‘Slugger’ Simmons Jr.

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Following college, Jamie played some pro indoor lacrosse with the Syracuse Smash and Reebok Lacrosse Club.

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His outstanding coaching career began at his alma mater, with the Nottingham JVs.  A year later, he succeeded his old HS coach, Stu Volan.

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In 2000, Jamie moved from Nottingham to J-D, taught phys. ed., was JV coach, then assistant to Jim Pistello.  He helped coach J-D to the State semis in 2003 and ’05.  In 2006, Archer became head coach.

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During Jamie’s head-coaching tenure (J-D reclassified from B to C, starting in 2017), his teams won four NYS Class B titles — 2007, ’10, ’11, ’16.  And the Red Rams were runners-up four times — 2013, ’14 (B) and ’17, ’19 (C).

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Yes, lacrosse runs deep among the Archers.  While Jamie is J-D’s head coach, brother David is an assistant coach.  Jamie’s son, Ryan, played at Hobart.
Jamie established a highly-respected youth lacrosse program, introducing a new generation of youngsters to lacrosse.

Having won multiple Section III coaching honors, Archer’s J-D teams won 120 of their first 132 games, when he was inducted into the Upstate Lacrosse Foundation Hall of Fame in 2013.  With this year’s NYS tourney appearance, he continues to climb the coaching victory ladder, passing 300, on to 400 and beyond?

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For his accomplishments in lacrosse and contributions to his community, Jamie Archer becomes a member of the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame, Class of 2023.