By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, posted 12/13/10
Rick Smith, a former assistant coach at Methacton and Hatboro-Horsham, has been named head boys’ lacrosse coach at North Penn.
Smith served as an assistant at Hatboro-Horsham from 2002-09 and then at Methacton last year. He also has coached travel teams for Team Philadelphia/PYLA. and is the director of Team Philadlephia/PYLA for Montgomery and Bucks County.
Smith, a Wissahickon alum who teaches at Methacton, is excited to take over the program at North Penn.
“I expect all of my players to conduct themselves with the highest degree of class and dignity at all times, both on and off the field,” he said. “It is expected that all lacrosse players will conduct themselves in a positive role model mode.
“A goal of mine is to have all of our lacrosse players have confidence in everything that they do. I believe that confidence is built through communication both on and off the field.”
Smith’s coaching philosophy is simple: build successful student-athletes and make the right decisions in the transition game.
“My coaching philosophy is directed related to my goal at North Penn,” he said. “’Communication that builds confidence.’ As a coach, I am more concerned with
where my players are going to be five years from now, rather then a winning
or loosing a lacrosse game.
“I want my players to attend a postsecondary school, have successful jobs, and be outstanding role models in the community.
“I am a coach that really enjoys the transition game of lacrosse. I want our team to thrive in unsettled situations. At the high school level, I feel that over 75% of the game is unsettled.”
Smith hopes to improve a Knights team that has gone 9-26 the past two seasons.
“Every player in our program has been putting in lots of time during the off-season to improve their game,” he said. “They attended a fall league at Upper Dublin and currently they are playing indoor lacrosse.
“My assistant coaches have done a tremendous job of putting together after school workouts. If every player in our program continues to put in this effort, then we will be very successful and have unforgettable seasons in the future.”
