J.J. Pearl is in his second stint with the Saints and brings one of the most unique and accomplished backgrounds in the sport. Widely regarded as one of the top goal tending coaches in the country, Pearl combines elite playing experience with decades of high-level coaching and player development.
A native Floridian, Pearl is a true pioneer of the sport in the state, becoming one of the first—and likely the first—Florida natives to play Division I lacrosse, compete professionally, and represent the United States internationally. He began his career as a goaltender at Pope John Paul High School (now Saint John Paul Academy) in Boca Raton, Florida, where he earned High School All-America honors, was a three-time All-State selection, and helped lead his teams to two state championship appearances.
Pearl went on to attend Penn State University, where he was a scholarship athlete and standout goaltender for the Nittany Lions from 1988–92. Over three and a half seasons as the starter, he earned placement on the All-America ballot, received multiple team MVP awards, and established himself as one of the program’s all-time greats. He remains among Penn State’s career leaders in both saves and save percentage.
His playing career continued at the professional level in the National Lacrosse League (NLL) from 1992-98, where he competed in indoor lacrosse with the Pittsburgh and Baltimore franchises. As one of only two American starting goaltenders in the league at the time, Pearl played on national television in some of the country’s largest arenas against the world’s top talent. He earned multiple game MVP and Player of the Month honors, was named the Baltimore Thunder’s Unsung Hero in 1995, and received an All-Pro ballot nomination in 1996.
Prior to the formation of the MLL and PLL, the United States Club Lacrosse Association (USCLA) represented the highest level of field lacrosse competition in the country. Pearl competed for the renowned Baltimore-based Greene Turtle Lacrosse Club, earning recognition as the Southern Division’s top goaltender. He was a four-time All-Club selection (1995–99) and a US Lacrosse National Club All-Star in 1996.
Pearl’s playing career culminated on the international stage as a member of the 2007 United States National Indoor Lacrosse Team at the World Championships in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Team USA earned the bronze medal, while Pearl posted an exceptional 85% save percentage and recorded a rare shutout performance.
He began his coaching career in 1998 at River Hill High School in Clarksville, Maryland, where he coached until 2006 and developed three future collegiate goaltenders at the DI and DIII levels. During his tenure, River Hill consistently competed for Maryland state championships. In 2007, he joined Century High School in Sykesville, Maryland, helping guide the Knights to the first state regional final appearance in program history.
For the next decade, Pearl served as President and Director of one of the nation’s premier club lacrosse programs of that time, the Baltimore Breakers. During that era, the program produced dozens of Division I, II, and III players, many of whom went on to win national championships and play professionally in both indoor and field lacrosse. Pearl coached numerous elite collegiate goaltenders, including the nation’s top goal tending prospects in the Classes of 2016 and 2017, and the program became nationally recognized for excellence at the goal tending position.Â
After returning to Florida in 2020, Pearl spent two seasons at Nease High School, where he developed the program’s all-time saves leader and an All-Conference goaltender. In 2023, he joined Flagler College as the goal tending coach before briefly relocating to Texas for a professional opportunity. He now returns to the Saints to continue his impact on the program.
Coach Pearl resides in Saint Augustine with his wife, Debbie. They are the proud parents of two sons, both former Division I lacrosse athletes. Their eldest son, Hunter (Penn State), is a Vice President with Morgan Stanley’s Atlantic Group and lives in Boca Raton, Florida, with his wife, Kaitlyn. Their younger son, Keegan (Furman/Jacksonville), is a licensed attorney with The Holmes Firm PC and resides in Dallas, Texas, with his wife, Anne Marie.
