Jim Scully is in his sixth season as the head coach of the Gilmour Academy varsity boys lacrosse program with the 2021-22 school year, but his experience coaching the sport dates back five decades to the 1980s.

Since arriving at Gilmour, Scully has changed the trajectory of the Lancer lacrosse program.

Hired fewer than two months prior to the 2017 season, Scully’s first GA team posted a 3-10 mark. The Lancers haven’t had a losing record since. He has led Gilmour to back-to-back seasons with double-digit wins, with 2021 being one of the finest campaigns in program history.

Scully led the Lancers to the Regional Final in 2021 as Gilmour reached the state’s Elite Eight for the first time since the OHSAA began sponsoring the sport. Gilmour took down two of the top three seeds in its region to reach the final, pulling off back-to-back upsets at University School and at Kenston. The win at US was the first in program history for Gilmour. Three Lancers were subsequently named All-Ohio, led by Kessel Richards ’21 being named Region XI Goaltender of the Year.

As a result of Gilmour’s noteworthy campaign, Scully was recognized by his peers as he was tabbed Region XI Coach of the Year.

Scully reached 100 career wins in Ohio on April 16, 2019 when the Lancers defeated Theodore Roosevelt High School, 12-7. That win helped the 2019 Gilmour team finish 10-5 on the season, a seven-win improvement in his third year at the helm. Scully’s varsity career record in Ohio stands at 117-69 after the 2021 season.

Prior to Gilmour, Scully served as the head coach of the inaugural Hawken Middle School boys lacrosse program, in addition to serving as the head basketball coach (1994-2008). He was then brought up to take the reins of the Hawken School varsity boys lacrosse program in 2009 where he continued coaching through the 2015 season. He directed the program to two Division II Final Four berths and was named Ohio Division II Coach of the Year in 2015.

Scully began his coaching career at the Landmark School in Beverly, Mass. as the head boys lacrosse and basketball coach (1984-88). He then went on to coach basketball at Groton School in Groton, Mass. (1988-90) before moving to Wisconsin where he coached basketball at Wayland Academy (1991-93). After his stint at Wayland, Scully moved to Ohio, where he has remained ever since.

As a student-athlete, Scully played basketball at Wachusett Regional High School in Holden, Mass., before competing in lacrosse at the collegiate level at Farleigh Dickinson University-Madison as a defenseman. He earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from FDU before earning a master’s degree in American studies from Boston College.

A retired educator after 36 years, Scully currently serves as a substitute teacher on occasion. In addition to his coaching duties at Gilmour, he is the NEO co-director of Resolute Lacrosse and head coach of the 27/28 Cleveland team. He is a member of the HEADstrong Foundation.

Scully currently resides in Novelty, Ohio, with his wife of 34 years, Elizabeth. They have three children, Peter, Hannah and Ethan.