Howard Benedict
Encyclopedia
Howard Benedict is an American lacrosse
coach. He coached at New Canaan High School for 34 years.
and Lafayette College
. He was a varsity lacrosse player while at Lafayette. He is the older brother of Jonathan Benedict, retired Chief Connecticut State Prosecutor who convicted Michael Skakel
.
Benedict was hired in 1973 to be the first varsity lacrosse coach at New Canaan High School
in New Canaan Connecticut. The New Canaan YMCA
had a club team in the spring of 1972 and the high school fielded a JV team in the spring of 1973, coached by Mr. J.D Maier, who was an English teacher at the high school. In April 1974, Benedict got the budding varsity program off to a positive start with a 7-3 victory over Hopkins Grammar School.
Benedict founded the New Canaan Lacrosse Association and won a total of 18 FCIAC and State Championships. Benedict has won more lacrosse games than any other Connecticut
lacrosse coach. In 2008, in the May Issue of Inside Lacrosse
Magazine, former Brown University Coach and current Bates Head Lacrosse Coach, Peter Lasagna wrote:
In 1996, after the Rams won the state championship, Benedict was named the CHSCA Outstanding Coach of the Year In 2001, Benedict was honored at the "The Reunion Celebration," hosted by the MLL which was a tribute to the lacrosse talent produced by the state of Connecticut and those who have contributed to the game’s growth in the state. At halftime of the first-ever MLL Lacrosse Star game, Major League Lacrosse honored the coaches and players whose contributions have made Connecticut into an important pool. Benedict was named one of the Connecticut Lacrosse "Star Reunion Honorees"
Benedict is said to be one of the "founding fathers of Connecticut Lacrosse."
Benedict's most recent FCIAC and State championships came in 2003, when the team was 22-0 and defeated rival Darien three times
In 2007, Benedict ended Darien's 54 in-state game winning streak. Benedict led the team to a 5-4 victory over Darien in the FCIAC
Semi-Finals
Benedict has coached many players who were named All-American in high school and college. Benedict has also coached numerous players of the year in high school and college.
Benedict was the Connecticut 2008 US Lacrosse
Man of the Year and a member of the 2010 Connecticut Lacrosse Hall of Fame Induction Class
Andrew Towers, Head Coach at Dartmouth College
David Campbell, Head Coach at Middlebury College
Mike Murphy, Former Assistant for Benedict and Head Coach at University of Pennsylvania
Scott Harrison, Assistant Coach at The University of Scranton
David Curry, Former Assistant Coach at University of Virginia
Tyler Hardy, Former Assistant Coach at Duke University
and former Head Coach at the Taft School.
Paul Burke, Former Assistant for Benedict and former Head Coach at Greenwich High School
Bobby Lutz, Former Assistant for Benedict and Assistant Coach at Darien High School
Steve Schmitz, Former Assistant for Benedict at New Canaan High School
Darren Lawlor, Former Assistant Coach at Harvard University
and Washington and Lee University
, Head Coach and Athletic Director at the Pacific Ridge School
.
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
coach. He coached at New Canaan High School for 34 years.
Biography
Howard Benedict graduated from Fairfield College Preparatory SchoolFairfield College Preparatory School
Fairfield College Preparatory School is a Jesuit Prep School located on the campus of Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut. It is an all male school of about 900 students, first founded by the Society of Jesus in 1942...
and Lafayette College
Lafayette College
Lafayette College is a private coeducational liberal arts and engineering college located in Easton, Pennsylvania, USA. The school, founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter,son of General Andrew Porter of Norristown and citizens of Easton, first began holding classes in 1832...
. He was a varsity lacrosse player while at Lafayette. He is the older brother of Jonathan Benedict, retired Chief Connecticut State Prosecutor who convicted Michael Skakel
Michael Skakel
Michael C. Skakel was convicted in 2002 of the 1975 murder of Martha Moxley, his 15-year-old neighbor in Greenwich, Connecticut. He was sentenced to 20 years to life and remains incarcerated. Skakel is the nephew of Ethel Skakel Kennedy, the widow of Senator Robert F...
.
Benedict was hired in 1973 to be the first varsity lacrosse coach at New Canaan High School
New Canaan High School
New Canaan High School is a public high school in New Canaan, Connecticut.- History :Construction on the school was finalized in 1971. The school is located on grounds donated by the Lapham family, carving off approximiately 46 acres of Waveny Park....
in New Canaan Connecticut. The New Canaan YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
had a club team in the spring of 1972 and the high school fielded a JV team in the spring of 1973, coached by Mr. J.D Maier, who was an English teacher at the high school. In April 1974, Benedict got the budding varsity program off to a positive start with a 7-3 victory over Hopkins Grammar School.
Benedict founded the New Canaan Lacrosse Association and won a total of 18 FCIAC and State Championships. Benedict has won more lacrosse games than any other Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
lacrosse coach. In 2008, in the May Issue of Inside Lacrosse
Inside Lacrosse
Inside Lacrosse is a lacrosse media entity and ESPN affiliate. It includes many parts including a news website, an 11 times annual magazine, online video streaming, internet forums and an ESPN television show...
Magazine, former Brown University Coach and current Bates Head Lacrosse Coach, Peter Lasagna wrote:
"Similarly, nearly all Fairfield County, Conn. converts from baseball started with three men. Guy Whitten (Wilton) and Howard Benedict (New Canaan) created cultures of excellence to be envied. Jeff Brameier convinced Darien's population to support programs that would compete with their neighbors. A desire to experience the success Guy Whitten, Howard Benedict and Jeff Brameier (as well as Bob Russell in Madison) achieved spawned the rec leagues and varsities that still spread throughout the Nutmeg State."
In 1996, after the Rams won the state championship, Benedict was named the CHSCA Outstanding Coach of the Year In 2001, Benedict was honored at the "The Reunion Celebration," hosted by the MLL which was a tribute to the lacrosse talent produced by the state of Connecticut and those who have contributed to the game’s growth in the state. At halftime of the first-ever MLL Lacrosse Star game, Major League Lacrosse honored the coaches and players whose contributions have made Connecticut into an important pool. Benedict was named one of the Connecticut Lacrosse "Star Reunion Honorees"
"The sport of lacrosse has a very rich history, especially here in the great state of Connecticut," said MLL founder, Jake Steinfeld, CEO of Body by Jake enterprises. "Recognizing individuals like Guy Whitten, Howard Benedict and Jeff Brameier who have had a positive impact on the development of lacrosse enhances that rich tradition, not only for today, but for the future of the sport in Connecticut."
Benedict is said to be one of the "founding fathers of Connecticut Lacrosse."
Benedict's most recent FCIAC and State championships came in 2003, when the team was 22-0 and defeated rival Darien three times
In 2007, Benedict ended Darien's 54 in-state game winning streak. Benedict led the team to a 5-4 victory over Darien in the FCIAC
FCIAC
FCIAC, the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference, was established in 1961 and is made up of high schools throughout Fairfield County, Connecticut, USA...
Semi-Finals
Benedict has coached many players who were named All-American in high school and college. Benedict has also coached numerous players of the year in high school and college.
Benedict was the Connecticut 2008 US Lacrosse
US Lacrosse
US Lacrosse is the national governing body of men and women's lacrosse in the United States, primarily serving the youth game. It provides a leadership role in virtually every aspect of the game, boasts 63 chapters throughout the United States, and offers programs and services to inspire...
Man of the Year and a member of the 2010 Connecticut Lacrosse Hall of Fame Induction Class
Players
Benedict has coaches hundreds of terrific players who have gone on to play at the highest levels of Division I. II and III. Many of his players have been named College All-Americans, NCAA Players of the Year and Conference Players of the year. Benedict has coached a number of players who have played professionally in the Major League Lacrosse League including Andy Towers, Scott Harrison, David Curry, Austin Garrison and David Hawley.Coaches
Many of the players that Benedict coached have gone on to coach at either the High School or College Level.Andrew Towers, Head Coach at Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
David Campbell, Head Coach at Middlebury College
Middlebury College
Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college located in Middlebury, Vermont, USA. Founded in 1800, it is one of the oldest liberal arts colleges in the United States. Drawing 2,400 undergraduates from all 50 United States and over 70 countries, Middlebury offers 44 majors in the arts,...
Mike Murphy, Former Assistant for Benedict and Head Coach at University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
Scott Harrison, Assistant Coach at The University of Scranton
David Curry, Former Assistant Coach at University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
Tyler Hardy, Former Assistant Coach at Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
and former Head Coach at the Taft School.
Paul Burke, Former Assistant for Benedict and former Head Coach at Greenwich High School
Greenwich High School
Greenwich High School is a four-year public high school in Greenwich, Connecticut, United States. The school is part of the Greenwich Public Schools system and serves roughly 2,700 students....
Bobby Lutz, Former Assistant for Benedict and Assistant Coach at Darien High School
Darien High School
Darien High School is the single public high school serving the town of Darien, Connecticut, in the United States.The Latin motto on the school seal means "The truth will set you free" or "The truth will make you free." The motto is shared by other institutions, including Johns Hopkins...
Steve Schmitz, Former Assistant for Benedict at New Canaan High School
Darren Lawlor, Former Assistant Coach at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University is a private liberal arts college in Lexington, Virginia, United States.The classical school from which Washington and Lee descended was established in 1749 as Augusta Academy, about north of its present location. In 1776 it was renamed Liberty Hall in a burst of...
, Head Coach and Athletic Director at the Pacific Ridge School
Pacific Ridge School
Pacific Ridge School is an independent co-educational University preparatory school for day students in grades 7–12. The school is located in the exclusive Bressi Ranch community of Carlsbad, a coastal resort town located in North San Diego County...
.
External links
- http://www.uslacrosse.org
- http://www.nchslax.org/
- http://www.maxpreps.com/FanPages/Content/Article.mxp/ArticleID-9cbfe4be-d796-4c15-b987-06916662c692
- http://www.nclaxalumnicamp.com
- http://www.cthssports.com/show_full_news.php?article=31
- http://www.laxpower.com/laxnews/news.php?story=11379
- http://www.insidelacrosse.com/page.cfm?pagerid=2&news=fdetail&storyid=28149
- http://www.ncramslax.com/Page.asp?n=13189&org=ncramslax.com