By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 3/1/22
Niko Amato has been named head boys’ lacrosse coach at Plymouth Whitemarsh.
Amato has coached for 16 years at the youth, club and collegiate level. As a Conshohocken native he felt coaching at Plymouth Whitemarsh was like coming home.
“The identity of the PW’s lacrosse team will be blue collar,” he said. “The swagger that the Colonials play with will represent the Greater Community within the region.
“All of Conshy, Plymouth and Whitemarsh has a team to root for and be proud of. I am energized to get more sticks in the hands of elementary and middle school players, especially minorities.”
Amato was a two-time Scholastic All-American and state champion and a three-time collegiate All-American who helped his team make two NCAA Division I title games and reach the Final Four three times. In 2014, Amato was the prestigious Ensign C. Markland Kelly, Jr. Award winner as the nation’s most outstanding NCAA Division I goalie.
Amato, the 2008 Phillylacrosse.com Player of the Year, also was a 4-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference pick and the No 1-ranked goalie coming out of high school. At the pro level he was a league champion and a Co-Goalie of the Year.
Amato, who coached 7 years at the collegiate level, also launched an International Italian club program called Italiano lacrosse. He was credited for introducing lacrosse to the Sicilian region south of Rome.
One of his main goals at PW is to spread the game to players from all backgrounds.
“Building a diverse program is of the utmost importance to creating a championship culture,” he said, also giving shoutouts to supporters Leo Kelly, RJ Bretz, James Bainbridge, Advanced Concrete & Construction and La Famigghia.
