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There are over 20 men from Norwalk playing college lacrosse this spring. Every one of them owes at least a little part of their good fortune to Jack Couch, the 67-year-old president of the Norwalk Lacrosse Association.
Couch joined the group in 1991 and stayed active until 2002, when twin sons Chris and Jake went to college at Army, where they played for the Black Knights. Couch re-joined the organization in 2006, and it grew steadily. Last year, about 360 children played lacrosse. Registration is not closed this spring, but Couch so far has seen a small dip in membership.
While money might be a hurdle for some, Couch figures he can get a player on the field for about $150 including equipment. That is far less than some neighboring towns. He does it by re-using equipment Some guys will share a mouthpiece if they have to, he says and purchasing equipment in bulk. All coaches are volunteers. He provides sticks for first-year players, and if they stay with the sport, they get to keep it.
Couchs biggest fear is stealing a childs passion for lacrosse. He prefers children play multiple sports, and encourages coaches to develop and teach fundamentals. Winning games is secondary. We try to keep winning and losing in perspective, Couch says. The main objective is to develop a love of the game.
A former player at Harvard, Couch first picked up a stick as an eighth grader at St. Paul School in Baltimore. Over 50 years later, Couch still loves it. He plays in a league with parents and children two nights a week during the summer at Veterans Park.
Earlier this spring, he watched high school students conduct clinics for children at Norwalk and Brien McMahon High Schools. He enjoys seeing older kids passing down their knowledge to the next group. Nothing locks in knowledge like teaching, Couch says. You see older kids who you dont think anything has sunk in, and theyre coaching.
That means a lot to Couch, who strives to keep children from lacrosse burnout. I feel like its an ongoing commitment, Couch says. Its a never-ending task to restrain hyper-competitive instincts. Not with kids, but with the parents.
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