Bryn Athyn College Alumni Magazine Spring/Summer 2017 | Page 30
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What are your goals?
➠ Well, an overarch-
ing theme is always to
work towards our as-
pirations as a group.
When you’re on a
team, you’re part of
an extended family
that cares about each
other and works to-
gether toward some-
thing. So we’re always
working on cultivat-
ing our work ethic and becoming better at what
we do. Having said that, my job as head coach is
to win lacrosse games. I’m very competitive, and I
don’t like to lose. I work to put the team in a posi-
tion to win and do well, not just to coast by and
have fun. It’s my responsibility as a coach to take
the program to new heights and compete with
anyone at the Division III level.
When you are recruiting, what do you look for in a
player?
➠ Three big things are willingness to work,
coachability, and character. I definitely want to
get to know the person, not just see them play or
watch their highlight tapes. I have to get a sense
that they’re going to work hard, be a good team-
mate, and fit the culture and standards for the
College and lacrosse program.
There are a lot of ways to train a team, and college
athletes often say that their coach was a key factor
affecting whether they had a good or bad experi-
ence. What’s your coaching style?
➠ You can’t really roll out a blueprint for coach-
ing. My style is definitely influenced by my past
coaches, from whom I’ve gotten some really good
advice. In the end it really comes down to just be-
ing myself. I coach the way I am; otherwise it’s
not authentic. I try to run the program the way
I think it should be run, and I don’t try to “be” a
certain way.
When you’re not playing for the Launch or coaching
at BAC, what do you do for fun?
➠ I love spending time with my family. I have a
lot of good friends in the area and five nephews.
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I’m an outdoorsy person. I like anything active
where I’m on the move, on my feet. It sounds
really simple I guess, but those are the things I
think are fun.
How do you stay grounded, when you’ve already ex-
perienced so much success so early in your life?
➠ I think it’s just a mentality I was raised with;
my parents taught me the importance of hard
work and humility. I still have more to prove as
a person, player, and coach. There are always ar-
eas for improvement. I also know that you learn
more from your failures than you do when things
are easy. I try to embrace those learning oppor-
tunities, and that definitely keeps me grounded.
What motivates you?
➠ I want to be a good person and to help other
people. Right now I’m in a good position to do
that, coaching at BAC. I like feeling useful and
productive. I am also highly competitive. That’s
a constant part of my life, whether it’s in lacrosse
or otherwise.
Tucker plays in his fifth season with the MLL in
2017. His involvement with BAC athletics contin-
ues to benefit the school, the men’s lacrosse pro-
gram, and most of all the students. BAC’s athletic
director, Matt Kennedy, says, “I admire Tucker’s
commitment to the educational value of his sport
and how various lessons on and off the field trans-
late into real life. There are very few coaches in the
world that truly want to play a role in the forma-
tion of young adults.”
Spending just an hour with Tucker for the inter-
view was enough to sense his contagious positiv-
ity and dedication. His personal work ethic and
authentic approach to coaching will no doubt
render substantial success in students’ lives long
after they put away their uniforms. An inspiring
role model and colleague, the College is proud to
have Tucker on its team. “Let’s go to work!”