Mark Burnam

Mark “Redman” Burnam is truly a rare, unique and influential individual in the sport of lacrosse. Burnam has touched many lives from among his community, his country and around the world by sharing his passion for competition, coaching, and storytelling. His early introduction to lacrosse as a Mohawk child started a life-long relationship that continues to this day as one of the true ambassadors of the sport. 

 

With a playing career punctuated by winning, he started by winning the 1980 NYS Lacrosse Championship earning MVP at Henninger High School. Burnam played at Syracuse University and in 1983 won a NCAA D 1 National Championship and in 1984 were Runners-up. Mark has decades of international experience both as a player and a coach. 

 

Burnam was a 5-X World team captain with the Iroquois Nationals and was a professional NLL player from 1987-1998 with NJ Saints, Buffalo Bandits winning two World Champions in 1992 and 1993 finishing up with Rochester and finally the Syracuse Smash. 

 

Burnam was the head coach at IMG Academy from 2016-19 and he currently is the head coach of the Iroquois Nationals U19 world team. Red has coached both as the head and assistant coach of Iroquois National teams for the past 12 years.

 

Maybe his greatest impact is as a coach is where he continues to influence youth, adolescent, and professional athletes, teaching the meaning and value of the sport as a character-builder for all who choose to play and learn. Burnam’s notable and easily recognizable tough and relentless playing style is exceeded only by his enthusiasm, love, and infectious sense of humor with family, friends, colleagues, and those for whom he forever calls Team. 

Bio credit: Dan Witmer, quotes legends of lake placid bio