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11/17/2021 11:00 PMLacrosse has always been a big part of Justin Blood’s life. After playing the sport at Branford High School, Justin began a coaching career that’s taken him to the helm of the North Haven boys’ lacrosse team.
Justin grew up in Branford and played lacrosse as a youngster in town before competing for the Hornets at the high school. Justin graduated in 2013 and then served in the U.S. Army, after which he earned degrees in nursing and business. In 2018, Justin became an assistant coach for AJ Alessi and the boys’ lacrosse squad at Notre Dame-West Haven, where he stayed for the next few seasons.
Just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Justin and his wife Alexa purchased a home in North Haven. Justin remembered his playing days in Branford and how North Haven always provided the Hornets with “difficult competition.”
“When we moved here, I told Alexa and AJ that if a head coaching position came up in North Haven, I’d apply. The stars aligned, and the position came up,” Justin says. “I applied and was recently selected. I’m very excited to be able to lead the program.”
Justin has already reached out to the team to schedule a meet-and-greet and is excited to meet North Haven’s players. Justin is looking to build on his coaching experience with Alessi, in addition to drawing on his experiences as a player. Having already been involved in coaching, Justin knows how much work is involved behind the scenes.
At Branford High School, Justin was coached by Jim May and the late Frank Barron, and he’s used the lessons that he learned from them throughout his life. Now, Justin is looking to serve as a mentor for North Haven’s players.
“Coach Barron always stated it’s not about lacrosse—he’d say it religiously—but the work ethic and teamwork and that has helped me with the Army, as a nurse, with academics, and throughout my life,” says Justin, who also played football for Branford. “Nothing about coaching is about the sport, but about developing leadership skills. I want to be able to mentor student-athletes and help them decide what they want to do after they play lacrosse. I want to create a program that’s great at lacrosse, but other skills, as well.”
Justin was succeeding on the field as he was learning all of these life lessons through lacrosse. Justin finished his career at Branford with All-SCC and All-State honors and also served as a senior captain for the Hornets.
Justin considered playing college lacrosse after high school, but decided to enlist in the Army instead. Justin attended medic school in the Army in order to become a combat medic. Justin then earned a business degree from Western Governors University and attended nursing school at Salve Regina. He is currently an active member of the Connecticut National Guard.
“My life experience compared to others my age is a bit different, as I didn’t have the generic go-to-college-out-of-high-school experience. I chose a different path,” Justin says. “The Army created such great values in me, things I’m utilizing in my nursing career and coaching. The skills I learned are things I’d love to be able pass on to players. It’s important to stay organized, think before you speak, analyze a situation before you go in.”
Justin, 26, is an emergency trauma nurse at Yale-New Haven, where he has worked in various positions for the past eight years. Justin comes from “a long line of nurses” with his grandmother and many of his aunts being nurses and his parents working at Yale.
“I love being able to help people on daily basis and knowing that the job you’re doing is beneficial to people,” says Justin. “Every task I do is helping someone feel better or get back to the where they were.”
Justin met his wife at Yale, where Alexa is a kidney transplant nurse coordinator. The couple has two cats and enjoys spending time with friends and visiting their family home in Groton Long Point, along with boating, fishing, and traveling. They are feeling quite at home as the get to know their new town of North Haven.
“We really love North Haven and, even though neither of us are from here, we can see ourselves being here for the duration,” Justin says. “It’s nice to be part of the community, and I’m looking forward to meeting a lot of new people who are involved in sports and athletics.”
Justin has continued to play lacrosse over the years and, prior to the pandemic, he was competing in a men’s league. Justin and his best friend Alex Borkowski also play for Team Poland, an international program that participates in tournaments around the country.
Justin is keeping busy as he gets ready to lead North Haven on the field for his debut season this spring, including scheduling a game against his former coaches at his alma mater. Justin is eager to form relationships with his players, while using what he’s learned from all of his lacrosse experiences to help North Haven prosper both on and off the field.
“I have great memories from lacrosse growing up, and I know that every player is different, so you can’t have a singular coaching style. You need to be able to flex and read the room,” says Justin. “I’m really excited to be a mentor for the kids on the team and be there not just for lacrosse, but for anything they need.”