Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 9/8/09
Jon Heisman, one of the winningest coaches in Philly boys’ lacrosse history, has left his post as coach at West Chester East and accepted the position as coach at nearby Bishop Shanahan.
Heisman led the Vikings to a berth in the first Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) championships in 2009 as his squad posted a 16-6 record and placed sixth in District 1. Heisman finished the year with 312 career victories.
Heisman, who won the bulk of his wins when coaching Springfield-Delco, coached at West Chester East for six seasons. His career mark at East was 94-28.
Heisman replaces Bob Peppelman, who coached at Shanahan for eight seasons and resigned at the end of the season for personal reasons.
Heisman, a first-team All-American defenseman and captain at Ithaca College in his playing days, led Springfield-Delco to the state championship in 1992. He also lost in the state finals three times (1994, ’96, 97) and reached the final four six times.
Heisman’s teams at East won the Suburban League crowns in 2004 and 2005, when he was named Pennsylvania Coach of the Year. He also helps run Black Bear Lacrosse Club.
Peppelman’s Eagles went 7-12 in 2009, but did enjoy a four-game winning streak early in the year that included clutch wins over eventual playoff teams Strath Haven (4-3) and Henderson (11-10).
Peppelman posted a 72-72 overall record while taking the Eagles to the Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association playoffs four times and winning one playoff game (in 2003). Shanahan won Del-Val League championships in 2002 and 2003 before entering the Suburban League (now the Ches-Mont League).
Peppelman, formerly the head coach at Downingtown (1989-94) and co-coach at Delaware County Community College, also has served as the vice president (1991-92) and president (1993-94) of the former Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association. He has been a youth coach for the Lionville Youth Association and West Bradford youth and in 2006 started a CYO program at St. Joseph’s School in Downingtown for boys in grades 5 through 8.
Peppelman also ran a popular lacrosse newsletter for three years in the mid-1990s called The Lacrosse Newsletter, which provided comprehensive bi-weekly coverage of Philadelphia lacrosse.
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