Lawson opened up the new school year with a traditional welcome speech to the entire student body. However, students were surprised that the subject was not another work as hard as you can or seize every opportunity in high school. Rather, Lawson talked about a lasting memory he had while coaching boys lacrosse at his old school in Texas.
He recounted a game during his stellar season where he says fate intervened and took over the game for him and his players. Up until that point, he had meticulously planned out every moment of every practice and game. But, he was faced with a last minute potential game-tying play. Instead of taking the obvious timeout to set up a play, he left the fate of the game in the hands of the players he trusted. He ended up winning the game.
Lawson hopes to bring this kind winning tradition back to the Trinity’s boys lacrosse program. As both the head of school and now a coach, he strives to bring these kind of lessons to the classroom and the field. While he makes administrative changes to the school, he is also focusing on how to create a better relationship between students and faculty.
“It’s not any different than head of schools I have known before,” Lawson said about being both an administrator and coach. “This is part of the picture of my job that seems normal to me.”
Students have not seen any other administrators take on a coaching job aside from Dean of the Upper School David Langdon, coach of the football and baseball teams, in a long time.
“It is definitely different,” senior player Jimmy Toscano said. “I am certainly able to see a different side of Mr. Lawson. Both on and off the field, Mr. Lawson is extremely dedicated and passionate about what he does.”
But for as long as Lawson can remember, this has been his normal. He brings to the lacrosse field many years of coaching experience. He has won multiple division and conference titles and has won the state championship multiple times. Many times his teams have completed the difficult task of having an undefeated season.
“As a career, I’ve been blessed,” Lawson said. “I have won over 100 games as a head coach and I have won more than my fair share of championships. It’s a fun game.”
Even though it is early in the season, Lawson is in full practice and game mode. His stringent discipline, meticulous game and practice plans and game-like simulations during practice are helping the team improve. According to his players, he is never set on a specific starting line-up on any given day. He changes it up frequently so no players become complacent.
He also wants to take advantage of the intellect of the students at Trinity and exploit their brain power, not only their athletic abilities. He likes to think that their minds are their best assets.
“We’re going to play as smart as we possibly can all the time,” Lawson said. “We will of course do our due diligence to develop as athletes with regards to strength, power, speed and agility. But if our guys can play smarter than their guys, and I can win the coaching battle, then we can be there in the fourth quarter even against a team that has more athletes than we do.”
Lawson has already seen how many of his players are looking to improve quickly. He knows they will continuously work hard during the season while he puts them on a path to improve their overall game.
New to Trinity’s competition, but not new to the game, the coach set a goal for the team to beat all other teams of similar competition and at least one team where they are the underdogs. However, he jokingly admits that he doesn’t exactly know who these teams are.
This spring season brings about a new time both on the lacrosse field and in the administration. Lawson will bring the lacrosse team back a long awaited tradition excellence while forming great relationships with his players and is definitely excited for the future.
“So far I’m working with lots of guys in taking on the challenge of being better sooner rather than later,” Lawson said. “I think that’s tons of fun.”
