Tom Donnelly to Coaches HOF
- Thread starter whitecat
- Start date
Tom was briefly my high school XC coach (and freshman history teacher, believe it or not). I am living proof that no matter how good a coach is, there is only so much a man can do with a talent-less athlete. Seriously, he was my XC coach for my first two years in high school, after which he took the gig at Haverford. The rest, as they say, is history.
Tom came very close to being the head coach at Villanova, in the aftermath of the John Marshall exit. IIRC, Marcus actually was pushing for Tom when he himself got the job. I seem to recall that Villanova muffed it a bit by delaying asking Tom when Tom was seemingly in a position to say "yes" -- and by the time Villanova actually did ask, Tom had decided to stay at Haverford.
Tom coached both Marcus and Sydney Maree during their heyday. Both set world records, etc. By all accounts, Tom is one of the truly good guys out there.
Here's a picture of Tom (on the right, with the hat) from his days as head coach at my alma mater (circa 1972-74), LaSalle College High School, just outside Philly.
This post was edited on 8/11 3:38 PM by LSU-Nit
Tom came very close to being the head coach at Villanova, in the aftermath of the John Marshall exit. IIRC, Marcus actually was pushing for Tom when he himself got the job. I seem to recall that Villanova muffed it a bit by delaying asking Tom when Tom was seemingly in a position to say "yes" -- and by the time Villanova actually did ask, Tom had decided to stay at Haverford.
Tom coached both Marcus and Sydney Maree during their heyday. Both set world records, etc. By all accounts, Tom is one of the truly good guys out there.
Here's a picture of Tom (on the right, with the hat) from his days as head coach at my alma mater (circa 1972-74), LaSalle College High School, just outside Philly.
This post was edited on 8/11 3:38 PM by LSU-Nit
LSU Nit, you ran at Father Judge. I know some guys who ran at Msgr. Bonner and some other Philly suburbs schools back in the 70s. They went on to run in college for my dad at E. Stroudsburg. The Bonner Boys were always tough runners.
Hi '90 -- that's not me in the Judge shirt -- that's a guy named Bob Potestio. The odd thing about the picture is that Bob from Judge eventually got married and had a son named Greg. Greg the son went on to run at LaSalle high and then ran for Tom Donnelly at Haverford. So,in the picture, Tom D. is standing next to a kid who became the father of a kid he eventually coached at Haverford. I guess that sort of thing happens when you coach for 40+ years.
As for me, I ran briefly at LaSalle high school when Donnelly was coach there (he left in 1974, IIRC, after my sophomore year).
As for me, I ran briefly at LaSalle high school when Donnelly was coach there (he left in 1974, IIRC, after my sophomore year).
Ah, I have some buddies who ran high school in philly around then. One ran for Bishop McDevitt and another for North Penn. Both went on to run for my dad at ESSC, now ESU. Another guy who ran for my dad in early 70s went on to coach at Archbishop Kennedy (he coached Vandegrift there and also ex Nova runner Carol Haux), then he was an asst coach briefly for Penn.