The father and son duo of Bishop Guertin boys lacrosse coach Chris Cameron, left, and son Brian, are switching roles, with Cameron staying on as an assistant as Brian has been elevated to head coach. (Photo courtesy of Bishop Guertin HS)

NASHUA – It’s the changing of the guard, but the announcement Tuesday that Bishop Guertin head boys lacrose coach Chris Cameron and his son, Cards assistant Brian, would be switching roles was major news not just on Lund Road but all over New England.

It’s a move of historic proportions.

Cameron has been the most successful coach the school has ever seen, winning 13 state titles with an amazing 19 consecutive trips to a championship game. He spent 20 seasons and turned Guertin lacrosse into a regional power when many high schools were still trying to get used to the sport. In all, 128 of his players over the years went on to play college lacrosse.

Cameron, the school said in its announcement, will still be a fixture with the program as assistant coach and director of operations, and will be on the sidelines.

So what’s changed? Not much, even in Chris Cameron’s mind, for a couple of reasons.

“The talent and culture in the BG lacrosse program are in a great place,” he said in a release prepared by the school. “I am not emotional because I am not going anywhere. I’m looking forward to a long run serving as an assistant coach and in the Director of Operations role.”

That’s because the expectaton is that Brian Cameron will have a long run as head coach.

“My goal is to take the program to new heights,” Brian said, “by building upon the foundations of the relationship-driven coaching, player development, and the long-standing winning culture we have here. I’m excited for the chalenge to continue to elevate Bishop Guertin lacrosse and help our players succeed now and at the next level.”

This is the third time in a year that coaches at Guertin are reversing roles, and championship winning coaches at that. At the end of the 2023 season, then-BG girls head coach Leslie Why and assistant Callie Santos went to athletic director Ryan Brown with the idea that Santos would take the head reins with Why on the sidelines as an assistant. Then, just this fall, due to work commitments, now former BG girls soccer coach Winston Haughton stepped into an assistants role while his assistant the last couple of years, Chris Millett, took the head job.

But Why won two titles and Haughton one, This is a bit more of a different deal with Cameron’s double digit legacy, and it’s all in the family.

“We cannot thank Chris enough for all he has done and are excited to see what he can continue to do for this program moving forward under the leadership of his son,” Brown said.

Brian Cameron’s accomplishments as a player are on par with his father’s as a coach. After graduating from BG in 2018, he played Division I first at the University of North Carolina for three seasons, helping the Tar Heels to an ACC title in 2021, and then scoring 60 goals and 79 points in just 29 games in 2022-23 as a grad student at Rutgers. While a Scarlet Knight, he played in the 2022 NCAA Final Four, scoring two goals vs. Cornell, then led Rutgers with 26 goals the following year, his last.

While at Guertin he was a two-time All-State Offensive Player of the Year and U.S. Lacrosse All-Amercan. He set the singl season record for points as a senior with 165.

But what’s key is that while it’s his first high school head coaching job, he’s helped out at BG and also was an assistant at Holy Cross.

“I was a superfan for my entire childhood,” Brian said. “Then played for BG, and now I am living out my dream as head coach.

“My dad’s impact on this program is immeasurable. He will continue to be a significant part of the program and guide me for many years to come. He has impacted so many lives and set the bar extremely high.”

“Brian is ready to leverage his vision and energy to take the program to a higher level,” Chris Cameron said. “He is a proud BG alum, who understands the demands of balancing athletics and rigorous academics. He’s played and coached at the highest level (college Division I).

“He knew his future was leading the BG program, and I couldn’t be more excited for him to take on this new role.”

For Brian Cameron, the future is now, after his father has left a past that will be heralded for many, many years.

“I had no idea back in 2003 what this would lead to,” Chris Cameron said. “It has been so much moe than the wins, losses, and titles.”

(The Bishop Guertin Public Relations Department contributed to this report.)