Through-the-Box
A Coaching Spotlight on Sandwich's Ned Philie
Sandwich, Mass. coach Ned Philie has seen the Sandwich Youth Lacrosse program grow from its beginning years until today. In 1996, not long after Sandwich and 13 other towns formed MBYLL, Philie began coaching the U10 boys. "It was a different game then," said Philie; there was no equipment or games, “only a stick and mouth guard.” From those days of simple skills training, Philie has coached all the age levels as well as served on the Board of Directors as president, and even began the U7 and U9 programs in the town.
Today, the father of five is busy with family as well as his corporate job, but still coaches at the U15 level. “I found that coaching was a way of giving back to my community and helping to grow the sport that we all love,” said Philie.
Philie’s love for the game started when he was young. At 13, Philie picked up a stick thanks to his older brother who also played. Philie’s passion for the game grew as he played throughout high school in Northampton, Mass., and then as he was recruited to play at UMass and the University of New Hampshire (UNH). Ultimately, Philie chose to attend UNH and was coached by Ted Garber.
A knee injury requiring two surgeries ended Philie’s collegiate lacrosse career during his freshman season, but not his passion for lacrosse. At 30, Philie once again picked up a stick and played club lacrosse and later coached for MBYLL.
While still playing lacrosse as an adult-league player, Philie finds it important to spread his joy of lacrosse to the athletes he coaches. Philie enjoys seeing his athletes establish traits that are useful on the field but also that will help them as they grow into adults. “It's great to see them develop skills and confidence in a setting that is really about fun and growth,” said Philie.
Philie was greatly influenced by former coach and one of the Sandwich program’s founders, Walter Gallagher, Jr. Although Gallagher has passed away, he left a profound impact on Philie’s own view of lacrosse. “Walter was the ultimate ambassador for the sport, always seeking to connect with former lacrosse players to enlist their help with the Sandwich program,” said Philie. With Walter’s contributions, Philie knows that the program he now loves would not exist without his admirable ambition.
The parents of young athletes who were coached by Philie have been appreciative of the work Philie has done for their lacrosse community. Phil Buttafuoco, a member of Sandwich’s Board of Directors, said that Philie’s communication with parents has helped him become a successful coach. But Buttafuoco also says that it’s Philie’s demeanor that sets him apart. “Ned’s personality is very easy-going which provides a fun atmosphere during practices and games. The kids love playing for him as he makes everything fun while teaching lacrosse skill development and helping the kids make new friends,” said Buttafuoco.
One of Philie’s best moments as a coach embodies this philosophy. During a game several years ago at MBYLL’s Jamboree at Fort Devens, a boy on Philie’s U15 team who had no prior lacrosse experience scored the final goal in their game. “He worked so hard all year to develop and had come a long way, but had never scored a goal, never mind taken more than a few shots,” said Philie. But the coach encouraged him to work hard as well as encouraging more skilled players to create a team environment by including him.
The encouragement and skill development paid off, not just for the boy who scored the final goal, but for the whole team. “In that final season moment, it was just great to see such a team effort,” said Philie. “More importantly, the most memorable, and frankly, moving part was [at] the end of the game when every kid crowded around this boy in celebration. To see him in the center of this circle of kids with tears in his eyes was really terrific.”
Philie’s coaching exemplifies MBYLL’s philosophy of simply teaching athletes the game. “Ned absolutely believes in the MBYLL philosophy of not keeping score at games,” said Buttafuoco. “MBYLL lacrosse is more about teaching the kids how to play the game, how to have fun with each other, and how to become better individuals both on-and-off the field.”
by Emily Kochanek
The Scoop
The Scoop / Spring '15 13