Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 10/20/21
From Press Release
Germantown Academy is hosting the inaugural Ginny Hofmann Sports Day (aka GH44) on Saturday to honor the longtime lacrosse and field hockey coach. GH44 is free and open to the public.
The day will begin with a tribute to Hofmann’s many contributions to athletics at GA, followed by all GA fall varsity girls team competitions. Hofmann is a member of the Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fame and was an Inquirer Lacrosse Coach of the Year
Hofmann’s Coaching accomplishments:
Girls Lacrosse:
At the conclusion of the 2014 season, Hofmann announced her retirement from coaching the GA varsity girls’ lacrosse team after leading the program for 36 years. Under her leadership, GA teams won seven Inter-Ac League championships (1989, 1992, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2004 and 2005). During her tenure, Hofmann coached 14 High School All-Americans and had three players achieve U.S. recognition. In total, Hofmann, a member of the U.S. Lacrosse’s Legends Club, had more than 360 wins while pacing the sidelines at GA. Hofmann returned to coach the GA middle school girls’ lacrosse team for several years before her full retirement in 2020.
Hofmann led the 2006 lacrosse team to a perfect 12-0 league record while her 1979 squad is in the GA Hall of Fame as the only undefeated field hockey team in GA history. During Coach Hofmann’s career, she has helped develop dozens of outstanding players who went on to play for NCAA Division I college programs and USA Olympic teams, including four High School All-Americans: Patsy Huntington ’80, Sara Jorgenson Downey ’85, Amy Reydel Fuchs ’87, and Rachel Magerman ’09.
FIELD HOCKEY:
Legendary field hockey coach Virginia “Ginny” Hofmann 1760 announced her retirement from coaching the Germantown Academy varsity field hockey team following the 2014 season.
During her reign, Hofmann had more than 350 wins and the team won five Inter-Ac League Championships (1988, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006) and one Inter-Ac Tournament championship (2004).
In her final season, she led the Patriots to a 15-9 record and a semifinal appearance in the Pennsylvania Independent School Athletic Association tournament.
Hofmann was selected as the first female recipient of the 2014 Michael F. Mayock Distinguished Teacher-Coach Award. She was inducted individually into the Germantown Academy Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008 a few years after the 1979 field hockey and the 1997 lacrosse teams were celebrated with induction.
GH44 SCHEDULE
9:15am: Opening Ceremony Featuring All GA Female Athletic Teams (Oberkircher Field in Sisters Woods) (BEST PHOTO/VIDEO MOMENT)
9:30am: Field Hockey: Germantown Academy vs William Penn Charter School (Oberkircher Field in Sisters Woods)
10:00am: Girls Soccer: Germantown Academy vs Villa Maria Academy (Carey Stadium)
10:00am: Girls Cross Country: Germantown Academy vs The Episcopal Academy (Cross Country Course/Carey Stadium)
10:30am: Girls Tennis: Germantown Academy vs The Episcopal Academy (Tennis Courts)
10:30am: Girls Volleyball: Germantown Academy vs The Academy of Notre Dame de Namur (Big Gym)
11:00am: Girls Water Polo: Germantown Academy vs William Penn Charter School (Pool)
BIG PICTURE:
Hofmann has served GA’s students on the field as the girls’ varsity field hockey and lacrosse coach, and off the field as the Girls Athletics Director, Director of Athletics, and the Associate Director of Athletics for more than four decades. During her tenure at GA, she has also been a member of the Upper School Physical Education Department, an Assistant Director of Admission, and a House Head in the Upper School. She is a member of GA’s honorary alumni society, the Class of 1760, and has published numerous articles for the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA). Prior to the Inter-Academic Athletic League’s formal combining of the girls and boys Inter-Ac in 2013, Hofmann served as GA’s only representative to the Girls Inter-Ac since it formed in 1983, served as its president three times and has been the permanent secretary of the league since 1994. Hofmann still works at GA on a part-time basis as an Admission Officer.
Quick Facts on Hofmann
Tenure: 44 years
Positions Held at GA:
Teaching:
Upper School Physical Education
Lower School Physical Education
Upper School Health
Middle School Health
Coaching:
Varsity Field Hockey
Varsity Lacrosse
Middle School Field Hockey
Middle School Lacrosse
US 3/4 Basketball
US 3/4 Field Hockey
Middle School Volleyball
Junior Varsity Ice Hockey
Administrative:
Associate Athletic Director
Athletic Director
Girls’ Athletic Director
Assistant Admission Director
Admission Officer
Interim House Head – Roberts House
Honors Conferred:
Distinguished Achievement Award (three-time recipient)
Graduation Speaker
Honorary Alumni Class of 1760
GA Athletic Hall of Fame
Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fame
Inter-Academic Athletic League’s Mike Mayock Distinguished Teacher-Coach Award
Lacrosse Coach of the Year – Philadelphia Inquirer
Why Ginny Stayed:
“I love everything about GA. If I could have designed my ideal job, I couldn’t have come any closer than working at GA- coaching, teaching, traveling, working in all three divisions of the school, meeting prospective families, participating in Belfry, attending games, concerts, plays. Work always turned into fun.”
Lasting Memories:
I have so many lasting memories from over the years but here are few –
Any and all of my trips but most especially Australia, England, Scotland, with lax teams.
The trip to Holland, Belgium, and Germany with Field Hockey.
The trip to China with the seniors.
Performing a solo in Fiddler on the Roof.
The seasons we went undefeated in Field Hockey and Lacrosse.
Ginny is thankful for: “Working with such wonderful colleagues and students over the years.
The support of the school in all my endeavors has meant the world to me.”