Local community mourns loss of Sean Cullen, 36, youth lax coach and athletic director at Calvary A.A.

Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 6/2/09

The local lacrosse community is mourning the loss of Sean M. Cullen, 36, of Philadelphia, a youth lacrosse coach and popular athletic director for the Calvary Athletic Association.

Mr. Cullen passed away May 22 in an automobile accident.

According to Paul Taylor, Calvary Lacrosse Director, Mr. Cullen “did not have the word ‘no’ in his vocabulary. He was a rock at Calvary A.A. – the athletic director, the field supervisor, and our 3^rd– and 4^th-grade team coach.

“He has been a member at Calvary for many years and we don’t know how were going to replace him.”

Taylor said Mr. Cullen worked tirelessly for Calvary A.A., and also would do anything for his son, Ryan. Mr. Cullen began coaching lacrosse just this year, but took to it like a veteran, Taylor said.

“He loved watching and coaching his son’s baseball or his favorite, lacrosse,” Taylor said. “We are a very powerful football, basketball and baseball club, and we jumped right into lacrosse.

“Without him we would have not made it. But it was lacrosse that he fell in love with; he was taking coaches clinics on-line, going to clinics, while getting certified by USA lacrosse. He was extremely dedicated to the program.

“Being new to lacrosse I could have not asked for more from him.”

Mr. Cullen was a board member of the Calvary A.A,, the AOH #88, and Quaker City Yacht Club.

“He was everyone’s friend,” said Taylor. “Over 1,500 people attended the viewing (at Our Lady of Calvary Church), and 350 attended the mass and burial, that’s how much he was loved.”

Mr. Cullen is survived by his wife, Alicia J. (nee Kelly) and son, Ryan; father Herbert “Bert” and mother, Mary; brothers James (Jennifer), Daniel (Jacquelyn) and William (Holly). He also was the son-in-law of Joann Lynch and brother-in-law of Tina Grossman and is survived by many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.

Donations may be made to the Ryan Cullen College Fund through the Sean M. Cullen Memorial Trust. c/o Police and Fire Credit Union. 901 Arch St. Phila., PA 19107. Donations can be made for the Trust Fund by visiting the Team Store at www.calvaryaa.org.