John Tucker (lacrosse)
John Tucker is the current assistant coach of the Boston Cannons in Major League Lacrosse, a retired American professional lacrosse player, and the former head coach of the Philadelphia Wings of the National Lacrosse League.
| Nationality | US |
|---|---|
| Position | Forward |
| NLL teams | Philadelphia Wings |
| MLL team Former teams | Boston Cannons MLL) 2009 to Present Los Angeles Riptide (MLL) 2006 to 2008 NLL) 2000 Baltimore Thunder (NLL) 1997 to 1999 |
| Former NCAA team | Johns Hopkins University |
| Pro career | 1987–1993 |
| NLL Hall of Fame, 2010 | |
US Lacrosse Hall of Fame 2016
Playing career
Tucker began his lacrosse playing career in ninth grade, joining the junior league team at Archbishop Curley High School under Coach Joe D'Adamo. He was a freshman and sophomore on the team during the school's 1976 and 1977 championship seasons, and he graduated from Curley in 1979. As a collegiate player, Tucker was a member on a number of winning teams. He played on the undefeated Johns Hopkins University Blue Jays team that won the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship in 1984.[1] In international competition Tucker played for Team USA in winning three gold medals at the World Lacrosse Championships in 1986, 1990, 1994. Tucker captained the 1990 and 1994 teams. In addition, Tucker won two championships with the Philadelphia Wings of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League in 1989 and 1990.[2] Tucker played at the amateur level for the storied Maryland Lacrosse Club winning three USILA Club championships.[3] He is enshrined in both the NLL and US Lacrosse Hall of Fame. Tucker was also an outstanding football player for the Blue Jays. In 1983 he was named to the all-state team and was all-Centennial Conference for his performance as a tight end. He holds the Centennial Conference record for both receptions and total yards in a season by a tight end.
Coaching career
As a coach, he has led a number of teams to championships, including a total of four Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association championships: three with the Gilman School in Baltimore, Maryland and one with Loyola Blakefield in Towson, Maryland.[2]
In the National Lacrosse League, Tucker coached the Baltimore Thunder from 1997 to 1999. He also was the coach of the Pittsburgh CrosseFire for their one year of existence in 2000.
Tucker served as Head Coach of the Los Angeles Riptide of Major League Lacrosse from 2006 to 2008 compiling a 22-14 record. Following the 2007 MLL season he was awarded the Major League Lacrosse Coach of the Year Award.[4] With the folding of the Riptide, Tucker signed a two year deal to coach the Washington Bayhawks beginning in 2009.
In October 2009, Tucker was an assistant coach with his original NLL team from the 1980s, the Wings. After a dismal 2010 campaign under head coach Dave Huntley, when the Wings had their worst ever record (5-11), the team fired the coaching staff, eventually hiring Tucker back as the head coach. In June 2011, Tucker stepped down to assume a scouting position within the Wings organization.
In 2011, Tucker came full circle and accepted the head coach position of his alma mater, Archbishop Curley High School. Assisting him on defense is his own former coach, Joe D'Adamo. He worked as an admissions at Concordia Prep in Towson, Maryland.</ref> He now serves as Director of Admissions at Saint James School in Hagerstown, Maryland and is also the head coach for the boys lacrosse team there.</ref>
Tucker was named Head Coach of the Boston Cannons (MLL) in 2013 and was named, for a second time, Brine Coach of the Year in 2015.
Statistics
Major Indoor Lacrosse League career
| Regular Season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | G | A | Pts | LB | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | LB | PIM | ||||
| 1987 | -- | 12 | 14 | 26 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||
| 1988 | -- | 18 | 16 | 34 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||
| 1989 | -- | 11 | 24 | 35 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||
| 1990 | -- | 27 | 15 | 42 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||
| 1991 | -- | 32 | 18 | 50 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||
| Totals | 47 | 100 | 87 | 187 | 207 | 64 | 6 | 8 | 16 | 24 | 26 | 15 | |||
- Philadelphia Wings stats only (may not be complete)
Notes and references
- DaSilva, Matt (November 1, 2005). "Tucker to Coach Los Angeles". LaxMagazine.com. Retrieved 2007-12-07.
- "John Tucker Riptide Coaches Bio". LARiptide.com. Archived from the original on 2008-03-10. Retrieved 2007-12-07.
- Mike Preston, Mount Wash., Perry Hall build on traditions CLUB LACROSSE, Baltimore Sun, June 15, 1991, retrieved May 26, 2010.
- "John Tucker Named 2007 Brine Coach of the Year". MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. August 17, 2007. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-20.
External links
| Preceded by Tony Resch |
Major League Lacrosse Coach of the Year Award 2007 |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
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