By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 4/5/16
Jim Trowbridge believes coaches can have a major impact in helping student-athletes become successful.
“I believe lacrosse is a great way to mentor young student athletes and prepare them for college and more importantly life,” said Trowbridge. “Next to parents, I believe coaches and teachers have the most impact on character development during these crucial adolescent and early adulthood years.
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Jim Trowbridge
“I have three teenagers, Aaron is 19, who started his first year at Syracuse University, Jordan is 17, who recently committed to Siena College and my daughter Dara 15 who played goalie up until this year. I have been around some truly inspirational coaches who encourage players to experiment and grow the game.
“I was blessed to be part of a culture orchestrated by Coach Simmons (Hall of Famer Roy Simmons Jr.) from Syracuse who his is arguably the greatest lacrosse coach of all time. Playing lacrosse at Syracuse was extremely competitive and fun. We couldn’t wait to get to practice and that is what I plan to bring to Tatnall.”
Trowbridge, who has coached for over 30 years in Pennsylvania and beyond, is in his first year as head coach at the Tatnall School in Delaware. His team, which went just 1-13 last year, opens today against Tower Hill. Trowbridge does not expect to turn around the program around in one year, but he does expect to help players develop skills and enjoy the game of lacrosse.
“Tatnall is coming off a several losing seasons; last year the team had one win and 13 losses,” he said. “The good news is we can only go up.
“My No. 1 goal is to make the game fun again. If I do this the rest will follow and as a result we will win more games. I have been playing lacrosse and coaching for over 35 years. I still play today and I’m always learning what’s new. I try and run a practice the way I would want to play. I ask myself, “Would I want to do this, would I stay engaged?’ The best part is I get to jump in and play with them showing them by actually doing.
“The game has become too regimented and kids are losing the passion for the game. I try and keep it fun and encourage players to be creative. At the same time I emphasize mastering the basics, the fundamentals.”
Trowbridge was an assistant coach for Garnet Valley from 2011-14 and also coached seven years with Brandywine Youth Club and continues to help out at MapleZone Sports Institute and the American Indoor Lacrosse Association. He has been a part of FCA as a player and coach since 1995.
“I am very optimistic about this year,” he concluded. “We have a great bunch of players who work hard and really support each other. They truly live by the schools motto of we are FAMILY. The parents and Alumni have been extremely supportive.”
