GEOGHEGAN: Henderson lacrosse boss Stankewicz reflects on 50 years on the sidelines

WEST CHESTER >> On the surface, it doesn’t sound like the most flattering nickname. But at West Chester Henderson, “Coach Stank” is a moniker that is always uttered with great affection and respect.

And last weekend those warm feelings were on clear display as Paul Stankewicz was lauded in a ceremony to mark his 50th season as a lacrosse coach at the school.

Five decades. A half century.

“Fifty years is insane,” said one of his current players, Archer Rymiszewski.

“This is unbelievable,” Stankewicz added. “I have no words.”

Following the Warriors’ 16-4 victory over Owen J. Roberts on Saturday, a large contingent of family, friends, as well as former and current players, gathered on the playing surface at Dicks Stadium. There were a few speeches, a couple gifts and lots of happy faces. And everyone was invited to attend a post-game reception.    

“I’m seeing hundreds of former players I haven’t seen in a long time,” Stankewicz marveled.

“West Chester lacrosse is such a close community and (Coach Stank) means a lot to everyone here,” said senior midfielder Pat Keegan. “It’s a special moment for him and his family, and it’s great to be a part of it.”

And to cap off a memorable evening , the Henderson lacrosse boosters announced the creation of a scholarship, in Stankewicz’s name, to help with college expenses for future Warrior lacrosse players. For more information, go to www.gofundme.com/paul-stankewicz-lacrossescholarship.

That, of course, is the perfect way to honor Stankewicz.

“Paul is the kind of person that doesn’t really want the recognition, nor does he strive for it,” said Henderson Athletic Director Ken McCormick. “He wants that for the kids.”

It’s been that way from the very beginning. Born in Philadelphia 70 years ago, Stankewicz was a student teacher from West Chester State College in 1969 when he joined the coaching staff at Henderson as a volunteer. Under the tutelage of head coach Bob Brinton, Stankewicz spent 14 years as an assistant and the Warriors won a state title in 1973 and advanced to another state title game in 1982. Along the way, he married his college sweetheart, Judy.

When Brinton left to coach at Penn (and later West Chester University), Stankewicz took over the reins. Over the ensuing 35 seasons at Henderson, he’s amassed a 416-225 record, and has helped guide the Warriors back to the state title game in 1993 and 2017.

“The years flew by,” Judy Stankewicz said. “Fifty years sounds like a long time, but it’s really flown by.

“And this (ceremony) is wonderful. I think everybody had a ball — especially all of the former players coming back.”

For more than 40 years, Stankewicz was also a math teacher at Henderson. He retired from teaching in 2010 but kept on coaching.

“It doesn’t feel like I’ve been coaching for 50 years,” he acknowledged. “It’s more fun now. I’m working harder at it because I’m not teaching anymore. I don’t know how I did it when I was teaching.”

In the early 1990s, Stankewicz taught his daughter, Anne, and son Richard. And both were involved in lacrosse.

“Anne was a statistician for us, and we were in a state championship game when my son was a sophomore,” Stankewicz recalled fondly.

“It’s always been a part of our life,” Judy added. “We’ve made it a family thing.”

The idea was to make the entire 50-year celebration a surprise, but Stankewicz started to suspect something was going on in the run-up to last weekend.

“A week or two earlier, the time of the game (against Owen J. Roberts) was changed,” he pointed out. “And then people in school started asking me: ‘Have you been coaching a real long time?’”

Judy finally spilled the beans about a week ago when she couldn’t adequately explain why their daughter was flying in from Boise, Idaho.

“I’ve learned after working 21 years with Paul that he isn’t big on surprises,” McCormick said. “We gradually introduce new things.”

During his 35 years as head coach, Henderson lacrosse has endured a few lean seasons, and several high points, including a team last season that advanced all the way to the District 1 title game and later the PIAA Class 2A championship game. But along the way, Stankewicz quickly became a highly respected coaching figure and an innovative teacher.

“Whether Henderson was good, bad, or anywhere in the middle, Paul’s been the epitome of class and hard work.” said Owen J. Roberts head coach Ben Carville.

“He’s had his ups and downs, just like you’d have with any program,” McCormick added. “We have a boundary and we’ve had some talent and some lesser talent. Through it all, the consistency Paul has coached our young men has been tremendous. Whether we were winning 20 games a season or five games, he was the same.

“The kids respond to him. They like playing for him.”

And the fact that he’s been doing it for a half of a century, at the same place? That makes it all the more laudable. That’s why Carville had his players stick around to watch Saturday’s ceremony.

“I’m in year two and I feel like I’ve aged 50 years already,” Carville joked. “It’s a testament to his dedication and his love of the game. That’s why I think it’s important for my guys to sit here and watch this presentation. What an accomplishment to do it this long at the same program.”

McCormick summed it up best: “I’ve been in this business a long time, and to see somebody last 30 years nowadays in coaching is not the norm anymore. So for him to make it 50 years, it is truly amazing.”

Neil Geoghegan is a staff writer for the Daily Local News and Pa. Prep Live. You can reach him at ngeoghegan@21st-centurymedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @NeilMGeoghegan.