McEvoy, who returned to his alma mater after great playing career, resigns as head coach at Malvern Prep

By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 5/29/09

John McEvoy, who returned to his alma mater to coach after an illustrious career as a college, club and pro player in Philadelphia, has resigned as head coach at Inter-Ac League power Malvern Prep to spend more time with his family.

McEvoy starred as a player at Malvern, Villanova and for several Philly club teams as well as the Philadelphia Wings before becoming an assistant coach under John Rohde at Malvern in 2001. He became head coach two years later and compiled a sparkling record of 125-34 while guiding the Friars to four Inter-Ac championships, one state title and two second-place finishes in the Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association (EPSLA).

McEvoy told his players Thursday he was resigning. He is moving to a new position at Malvern Prep this summer in the admission office after teaching social studies. But he said the major reason he was leaving the post was to spend more time with his wife and four children.

“This was a long time coming,” he said, “I have a wife who has a big job that requires quite a bit of travel and I have four kids that range in ages from 4 to 9. They’re not little babies anymore.

“My new job will mean greater responsibilities. This is a great (lacrosse) program and it isn’t a 3-month job anymore, It deserves to have a person who can give a full effort and I cannot give that anymore.”

McEvoy said he is not planning to pursue any other coaching jobs, despite several rumors that he’d look at other opportunities. He added that the school will immediately begin a national search for a new coach, but that in-house assistants also will be considered.”

McEvoy said leaving as head coach at a national power for many years is not easy – not only for the team’s success, but for the quality of the student-athletes at Malvern.

“It’s certainly hard to walk away,” he said. “I am very passionate about Malvern Prep and Malvern Prep lacrosse. I loved coaching here; we had a good run. The kids are great and the families have been very supportive. I have been lucky that I have had very few issues.

“It’s been very easy to coach here because of the kids. The Malvern community is tight-knit and the people are very loyal to each other. That’s what I will probably miss the most – this little community we have built.”

McEvoy said he has taken great joy in seeing former players go on to succeed at the college level and return to Malvern. “I think the lacrosse program is a microcosm of the school,” he said. “To me, one of my proudest moments are when players come back to see us.”

McEvoy, a 1986 Malvern grad who was named an All-American midfielder that year, was inducted in the Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2007. He graduated from Villanova in 1990 as the school’s all-time scorer and then played club lacrosse for the Eagle’s Eye and Philadelphia/MAB Paints Lacrosse Clubs through the 1990s when he was selected five times to the club all-star team.

He also played for the Philadelphia Wings in the National Lacrosse League (NLL) from 1991-2002. During that span he served as the team captain, made the NLL All-Star team and was once named the league’s Unsung Player.

In 2005, McEvoy was named the EPSLA Coach of the Year and in 2006 he was inducted into the Malvern Prep Hall of Fame.