Serving Up History
by Jill Cousins
When Lake Howell’s boys’ volleyball team lost in the state semifinals in 2024, the Silverhawks were understandably disappointed and consumed with motivation to reach the championship game this year.
Their longtime coach Scott Leman had an extra dose of motivation. He wanted to finally have the chance to wear his faux rattlesnake/python suit – in an eyecatching gold hue – for the big occasion.
Both the Silverhawks and their coach got their wishes this season and so much more. Not only did Lake Howell return to the state tournament, the team won the first boys’ volleyball state title in school history, defeating Doral’s Reagan High School with a three-game sweep in the 2025 FHSAA Class 2A final at Polk State College in Winter Haven in May. It was also the first state championship in any sport for Lake Howell in approximately 16 years and was Lake Howell’s first appearance in the boys’ volleyball state finals since Scott’s first season, 20 years ago.
And almost as importantly, Scott was able to strut his stuff in that flashy polyester suit – at long last.
That Winning Feeling
“All the kids had the same mentality this year,” says Scott, a 2001 Lake Howell graduate who also became the school’s athletic director this past academic year. “They had been there and knew what it took, and they were just disciplined from the beginning, because they had that [losing] feeling, and they never wanted to feel that again.”
Senior Tyler Windt led the Silverhawks (29-2) in the title match with 13 kills and nine digs. Lukas Christman, a junior transfer, added seven kills and nine digs. Lake Howell’s other starters were sophomore setter Zac Crandell and seniors Camilo Gonzalez, Jayke Dent, Shaun Bojko, and Cade Sinness.
“It was amazing,” says Scott. “They have now set the standard for every Lake Howell volleyball athlete who can say, ‘That’ll be me one day.’ That’s the legacy they left. They made history and did something that was never done before. I was overjoyed.”
Scott, who earned a PhD in leadership in 2014, has set a standard, himself, with his attention-grabbing fashion sense. While doing charity work several years ago, he started dressing up in funky suits and quickly realized how much he enjoyed it. About 10 years ago, Scott began sporting his signature suits to special games, like big rivalries or Senior Night. And as his collection grew, he started wearing a different colorful suit for every game.
“The running joke now is, if you have a theme, I have a suit to match it,” says Scott with a laugh.
Ironically, the only time Scott did not dress up for a game this season, Lake Howell suffered one of its two losses, and several parents jokingly gave him grief about it.
Scott brought his shiny gold suit with him last year, when he led the Silverhawks to the state tournament semifinals, but it stayed packed away when the boys lost. Scott refused to wear the suit this season, saving it for what he hoped would be the special occasion everyone was waiting for: the 2025 championship game.
After Lake Howell soundly defeated Riviera Beach Suncoast in three straight games in the semifinals – with Scott wearing a metallic hot pink suit – he got his chance to shine, quite literally. Scott broke out that gold suit, and the Silverhawks took care of business on the court.
“I did have a feeling that this would be our year,” says Scott. “I was knocking on wood, but I really thought we were winning that title. And we came home as state champions. It was 20 years in the making, but we finally did it.”