Leonard basketball coach James Lake leaves Lancers for Palm Beach Gardens job
A new era at John I. Leonard High has already come to a close with the departure of boys basketball coach James Lake, who will now be taking charge of the program at Palm Beach Gardens.
Lake was hired to lead the Lancers in 2021 from his former post at Jupiter Christian, where he was an assistant coach, and rose to a tall task at hand.
2023 was a milestone season for the once 2-11 team that Lake inherited. Flipping the script of a squad that went 5-15 in his first season, the Lancers' most recent record was 18-8, although missing playoffs and exiting district play in the first round.
"Change is never easy, but the bond and memories we built at John I. is something that I'll carry with me forever," Lake said in his Twitter announcement on Wednesday.
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Now one of the successors expected to revive the Gator greatness that once was under local legend Tony Watson, who will be on the sidelines at Atlantic this winter, Lake takes the position at Gardens after Mark Climo.
Gardens most recently went 9-15, exiting districts in the first round to the forces of runner-up Fort Pierce-Central.
Lake is "beyond excited" to take the role, joining a number of Palm Beach County coaches who will be in new locker rooms by the year's end if they aren't already.
Including the open vacancy at Leonard and the one filled at Gardens, seven offseason coaching changes on the hardwood are catching up to eight transactions among local football coaches.
Emilee Smarr is the high school sports reporter for the Palm Beach Post. She can be reached via email at esmarr@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Leonard basketball coach James Lake leaves to fill vacancy at Gardens
