Hall of Fame
Jim Amen, Jr., has been one of the most impactful high school coaches and administrators in New York State. He began his career in 1965 as a physical education teacher and coach at the Plainview Old Bethpage School District where he coached varsity basketball and soccer that year, then two years later started the boys lacrosse program at Plainview JFK High School. After leaving the high school ranks from 1977-82 to work as the head basketball coach and assistant men’s lacrosse coach at Johns Hopkins University where his teams won three NCAA Championships, Amen returned to Long Island as Chairperson of Physician Education and Athletics and boys head soccer, basketball and lacrosse coach in the Levittown School District until 1991. That year, he transitioned to the Chairperson then eventually Director of Physical Education and Athletics at Bethpage High School and continued with varsity soccer, basketball and lacrosse coaching duties at Bethpage. Despite the positive impact he made in soccer and basketball, he made his mark in lacrosse compiling 219 wins, a NYSPHSAA Class B State Championship as well as winning numerous section and league championships. The year Amen’s team won the State Championship was 1996—his final year of coaching—when the team finished 20-1 overall. In 1999, Jim progressed his administrative career and landed at Cold Spring Harbor School District as the Director of Physical Education and Athletics where he remained until 2013. He then took an interim position at Manhasset School District from 2013 until his retirement in 2021. Amen has additionally contributed to NYSPHSAA as its Boys Lacrosse Coordinator since 2011 and to Section VIII where he’s held many positions including two terms as President, Sportsmanship Committee Chair, Modified Boys Lacrosse Chair and member of the Executive Committee. Some of his many honors include twice being named Nassau County Boys Lacrosse Coach of the Year and being recognized by NYSAHPERD as the Athletic Director of the Year. Amen, Jr. was inducted into the following Halls of Fame: Long Island Metropolitan Lacrosse Hall of Fame, the Massapequa High School Hall of Fame, Bethpage Wall of Fame, National Interscholastic Coaches Hall of Fame, and the Nassau County Athletics Hall of Fame.