By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 9/30/10
Tom Lemieux has been promoted to the post of head boys’ lacrosse coach at Springfield-Delco.
Lemieux served as the offensive coordinator under head coach Mike Friel for the past six years. Friel resigned to become athletic director at Radnor in August.
Lemieux, a former standout at Cabrini College, was named the 2010 Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association Assistant Coach of the Year. He also was an assistant under Friel for the Philly team in the 2010 Under Armour Underclassmen Games as well as the Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association Showcase.
Lemieux inherits a team that graduated a standout senior class and returns just six seniors and will need to retool.
“I am super excited,” he said. “I think we’re young, but not that young. We lack game experience, but we do have some kids that can play and they’ll get their chance to prove that this year.”
Lemieux said his coaching philosophy is similar to that of Friel’s.
“I believe in hard work, (getting) groundballs, hustle and heart,” he said. “Mike has been like my brother; not much is going to change. I learned a ton from him and he had great principles.
“Everything is in place for me to follow.”
Lemieux has been in charge of Springfield’s off-season program and is optimistic his team will remain at the top half of the powerful Central League.
“The kids are dedicated and want to win,” he said. “and they like the underdog role.”
Lemieux also spent two years as the offensive coordinator at Cabrini before moving to Springfield-Delco.
Last year Lemieux helped guide Springfield-Delco to its first Central League title since 2005 and an overall record of 20-3. The Cougars reached the District 1 finals and fell in the quarterfinals of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association tournament to eventual finalist La Salle.
Lemieux is a graduate of Comsewogue High (N.Y), which fell to Springfield-Delco, 7-6, in a game played in 2009 at the Meadowlands as part of the Big City Classic, after splitting two previous games with the Cougars in games played at Cabrini.
As a senior, Lemieux was a member of the New York State championship team, which was ranked second in the nation. He received All-League honors as a junior and All-County honors as a senior.
He then led Cabrini to two straight Pennsylvania Athletic Conference championships as captain of the team. He finished his career as the all-time leading scorer, in points – a mark that recently was shattered by Ridley grad Casey Grugan. Lemieux received all conference honors all four years and was named Player of the year in his conference and male athlete of the year as a senior.
Lemieux is currently a Special Education Teacher at Ridley High School.
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