By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 9/18/23
Bruce Shallis has been promoted to head coach for the Coatesville boys’ lacrosse team.
Shallis served as defensive coordinator in the 4 years since the Red Raiders’ program was elevated to varsity status. He replaces Dan Ellis, the 2023 Phillylacrosse.com Co-Coach of the Year who stepped down after the season to focus more on coaching football.
Shallis also was an assistant at Marple Newtown and Downingtown East for three years before coming to Coatesville. He is a club coach at Freedom and helped found the youth lacrosse program in the Coatesville area that’s played in the CCLA for 9 years.
The Raiders showed much improvement since the program became a varsity program, going 12-7 in 2023 and qualifying for the District 1 3A tournament for the first time. Coatesville also defeated Downingtown West for the first time. Shallis knows he will need to retool after heavy graduation.
“That whole 2023 crew had been with me since U-9 and/or the Freedom team,” said Shallis, a Marple Newtown grad. “Our philosophy this year will not be replacing, but reloading. We have talent, but we’re going to be young again. Probably every year we are going to be young for a while.”
Last season the Raiders relied heavily on the seniors, including All-Ches-Mont League First Teamers Dan Ellis (attackman, son of Dan Ellis), Brendan Ly (defenseman) and goalie Dax Shallis – the new coach’s son. This year many jobs are open, but some key seniors do return.
I think we were right there with everyone in the league,” said Shallis. “I think next season we’ll need to win by scoring more goals.”
The all-league returners include 2024 LSM Bryce Kerrigan and 2024 SSMF Steve Evans (2nd teamers) and Honorable Mention picks Derek Cooper (2024 attackman) and Jake Van Ordeen (2024 attackmen).
