Gulf Breeze boys lacrosse has found its next head coach.

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The school announced on July 14 that assistant head coach Spencer Pickrell has been promoted to head coach and will lead the program this spring.

"Spencer has demonstrated everything we look for in the leader of one of our athletic programs," Gulf Breeze athletic director Matt Alt wrote in a press release. "He is an exceptional teacher of the game, a proven developer of young men, and someone who leads with integrity, discipline, and humility. His commitment to Gulf Breeze Lacrosse, combined with his distinguished military service and passion for mentoring student-athletes, makes him the ideal person to lead our program into the future."

Pickrell coached under head coach Erik Liberatore last season, helping lead the Dolphins to a 12-8 record, the program's first ever regional final appearance and their third straight district title. Liberatore accepted a new job outside of last month and left the program after one season as head coach.

He's served the past three seasons as a varsity assistant coach, while his son Landon has played on the varsity lacrosse team. He also founded Blackwater Lacrosse in 2023, a local club organization that's quickly become one of the best in the panhandle, and has served as a Gulf Breeze area youth coach.

Pickrell played in high school at Watkins Mill in Gaithersburg, Maryland, one of the top lacrosse states in the country. There he was a four-year varsity starter and three-time captain. He went on to serve in the United States Marine Corps from 2003-08 and the Texas Air National Guard from 2008-13.

Pickrell will take over a program that graduates 12 seniors and loses five all-area players. However, the Dolphins will return three all-area players, led by Pickrell's son Landon, who recorded 63 goals and 18 assists during his junior season.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Spencer Pickrell named new Gulf Breeze lacrosse coach

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NEED TO KNOW

• Erling Haaland and his taxidermy raccoon have touched back down in Norway after a sensational performance in his first FIFA World Cup
• “It followed me home,” Haaland joked in a post on social media after fans quickly circulated the photos of the Norwegian soccer star with his new decor
• “It’s been quite a row, thank you for making it so special,” Haaland wrote in a post on X after Norway’s quarterfinals defeat by England

Erling Haaland and his raccoon are back in Norway after the soccer star delivered a career-changing World Cup performance.

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As Haaland, 25, touched down back in his home country after Norway lost to England in the quarterfinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Saturday, July 11, fans noticed the athlete — who became the talk of this year’s tournament — was returning to Oslo with a taxidermied raccoon holding a whiskey bottle.

Shortly after Haaland and his raccoon were spotted in photos and videos departing the airplane in Norway, he joked about the viral moment on X. “It followed me home,” he wrote in a post, adding a raccoon and laughing face emoji.

The striker also asked fans to help him decide on the raccoon’s new name via an Instagram Stories poll. Haaland gave four options: “Cowboy,” “Ranger,” “TEX” or “R.O.W. (Raccoon on Wheels)” — the last one likely being a reference to Norway’s now-viral rowing celebration.

It followed me home 🦝🤣 pic.twitter.com/IwMhgv0CAb

— Erling Haaland (@Erling) July 13, 2026

Haaland, known for his love of designer bags, also carried a white and maroon Prada bag as disembarked from the plane after six grueling weeks of World Cup competition.

Fans quickly found Haaland’s taxidermy friend online and shared that it set him back $750. The raccoon is called the Whiskey Raccoon from Wild Bill’s Western Store in Dallas, Texas, and Haaland posted a video on Snapchat of what appears to be the same raccoon earlier in the tournament.

Wild Bill’s has appeared to embrace the soccer star’s support of their store.

“Went to Wild Bill’s yesterday and bought Haaland’s cowboy hat for my son. Wild Bill had nothing to say but great things about Erling’s visit,” said one user on X, who added a photo of the store’s display of Haaland.

Went to Wild Bill’s yesterday and bought Haaland’s cowboy hat for my son. Wild Bill had nothing to say but great things about Erling’s visit. pic.twitter.com/KdieaIXh8f

— Alex Price (@AlexAtSnowflake) July 13, 2026

Haaland became the breakout star of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after he helped lead Norway to the quarterfinals, where they played a competitive match against England before the British men’s team defeated the Norwegians 2-1.

One day after their loss to England, Haaland said goodbye to the United States in a heartfelt post on X.

“It’s been quite a row, thank you for making it so special,” he said, along with several different tweets of photos from Norway’s match.

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In another post, Haaland wrote, “Goodbye 🇺🇸 [America] It’s been emotional,” alongside a selfie, in which he sported red tinted sunglasses, a backward baseball cap and a black zip-up jacket.

Despite not advancing in the quarterfinal, Haaland celebrated his and Norway’s “insane journey” over the tournament. “I think this has changed my life, to be honest,” Haaland said, according to the Associated Press.

Read the original article on People

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