Radnor’s Kilgour, who claimed seven District 1 crowns, two PIAA titles and over 574 wins, retires from coaching

By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 6/29/10

Phyllis Kilgour, who won 574 games and coached for 44 years at Radnor schools where she led her Red Raiders to seven District 1 championships and the first two official state titles, has retired as head girls’ lacrosse coach.

Radnor athletic director Dan Serfass confirmed Kilgour’s retirement today.

Kilgour leaves behind a legacy in Pennsylvania girls’ lacrosse that may never be matched. She was head coach at Radnor for 32 years and won District 1 crowns in 1986, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2008 before the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) began to sanction a state tournament in 2009. Until then, the District 1 champions were considered my most to be state champions.

Radnor defeated Springfield-Delco, 14-7, for its second PIAA title 17 days ago. Kilgour’s teams went 75-2 the past three years and an incredible 231-24-1 since 2000. Dozens of her players have been All-Americans and gone on to excel at the college level and some eventually became college coaches.

Kilgour reflected back on her career early in the 2008 season in an interview with Phillylacrosse.com after winning her 500th game.

“I really have had just tremendous kids,” she said. “I still remember our first state championship team in 1986 and I still hear from some of them.

“A lot of them have gone into coaching, and now I am coaching a lot of their daughters. That’s a lot of longevity, but I have had great people helping me, too, from coaches in the recreational league on up.”

Kilgour has done much more than just win games. She has served as Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association (PASLA) National Tournament Chair, PASLA Treasurer, PASLA League Representative, All-American Committee, and on the US U-19 Team selection committee. In addition, she has helped organized and coach the U-17 and U-19 teams from the area competing in the annual Vail Shootout in Colorado, all of which have represented Pennsylvania extremely well.

She was elected to the Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2005. A graduate of J.P. McCaskey, Kilgour graduated from Indiana University and began coaching lacrosse at Radnor Middle School in the late 1960s.