A Fall Sports recap and an interview with our Varsity Soccer Coach, Mrs. Susan Barr P‘15‘20

EVER FORWARD

An Employee Spotlight on Malvern’s Varsity Soccer Coach, Mrs. Susan Barr P‘15‘20

By: Allison Hall

Even before sitting down to interview Mrs. Susan Barr P‘15‘20, it’s clear that she is known and respected for her expertise in the soccer world — after all, we had to delay our meeting because she is on the board to select the next women’s soccer coach at Cornell ... not too shabby. But as they say, all good things are worth waiting for, and it was a pleasure to meet one of Malven’s newest Varsity Coaches.

Starting in the fall of 2019, Barr became the first female to coach a varsity sport at Malvern. Barr has been coaching soccer for 30 years, having grown up playing and continuing to play D1 in college at Cornell University. Following college, Barr began coaching youth leagues and played in adult amateur leagues as well. It wasn’t until a few years ago that she stopped playing soccer due to an injury.

Coach Barr holds the highest accreditation for a soccer coach. In addition to coaching at Malvern, Barr is the Director of Coaching at Penn Fusion Soccer Academy, coaches two U14 girls soccer teams, and is an instructor for U.S. Soccer. It is clear that she loves coaching at the middle school and high school level. “The pressures of young adults today and bringing sports into their lives and using that as a vehicle to overcome obstacles and better themselves for the next phase in their lives is a gift,” Barr explains.

When asked about what it was like to be the first female coach at Malvern, Barr replies “Here’s the beauty of Malvern. At no point did I ever feel that [being a woman] was a criterion or that they were seeking out a female coach. It was really a natural fit, and I actually had no idea that there hadn’t been female varsity coaches here before.” Barr explains, “I have always been more focused on my competency [as a coach] because coaching is such a male-dominated industry. In the past, I really wasn’t comfortable being a pioneer in that regard because it takes a lot of energy. I wanted my energy to go into the game and be the best coach I could possibly be.” Barr notes that there are actually many females coaching at high levels that leave the game due to family commitments. She feels the industry could do a better job in helping to keep these coaches in the game.

In true Malvern form, the players and parents embraced Coach Barr as well. “I never asked them how they felt about having a female coach,” quips Barr. “With this generation of young adults, the two main criteria are competency and caring. If they know you are going to help them improve and compete, I don’t think there is a whole lot of thought about whether the coaching role is filled by a man or a woman.”

Reflecting on the fall soccer season, Coach Barr admits that it did have its stressors. “We weren’t winning, but we were competing,” she explains. The team began the season with a schedule that included some of the toughest opponents in the area. The early season losses only reinforced what the team needed to do to become successful. “Our identity as a team began to develop, and that identity was that we were a team that was very difficult to score on. This created positive energy on the team,” Barr explains.

Creating a culture for the team was important to Coach Barr. The team has set goals that are steps to achieving their desired outcome — winning. “Our motto is Ever Forward. It is a choice to live that way and we can’t go backward,” she shares.

Looking ahead to the fall 2020 season, Barr is excited. “We have graduated some phenomenal young men who are natural leaders. The great thing is that I have already seen signs of players that want to step into those shoes,” she says. mp

Friar SportsHighlights

FALL SPORTS

Cross County Takes Third in Inter-Ac, Fifth in the State

During the 2019 season, the Friars split the Inter-Ac League with a record of 3-3. The team placed third in the league and fifth in the state. On October 5, 2019, the team competed in the highly competitive Salesianum Invitational. Collin Hess ‘21 led the way for the Friars with a third-place finish (17:20). The Varsity team took fifth overall at the invitational and was named the second best team in PA. mp

Rugby Gears Up for a Strong Spring Season

This fall, our Rugby team participated in a number of tournaments across the area. In the PA Rugby State Tournament, the team reached the semifinal round. Max Fish ‘21 was named to the PA All-State 7s Rugby team. mp

Golf Takes Second Place in Inter-Ac

What a season! The Varsity Golf team finished their fall season with a record of 28-10-1 overall. With a record of 22-7-1 in the Inter-Ac, they took second place to the Haverford School in a heartbreaking loss 193-191 in the final league match of the season. During that match, Ryan Kennedy ‘20 shared medalist honors with Tyler Zimmer from the Haverford School with a 1-under par score of 35. Henry Fish ‘22 posted a 36, with Patrick Traynor ‘21 and Dylan O’Connor ‘23 with 40, and Keller Mulhern ’22 rounding out team scoring with a 42. mp

Football Finishes 4-6 Overall, Players Receive Numerous Accolades

The Friars finished 4-6 overall and 3-2 in the Inter-Ac this year. Senior Caimin Hayes was recognized as one of 60 Mini Max Awards winners during the Pennsylvania Mini Max High School Football Awards Dinner. A number of players this season received numerous accolades from across the state: • 2019 PA Football News Coaches Select Class 5A All-State Team: Caimin Hayes ‘20 (First Team), Ronan Swope ‘21 (First Team), Lonnie White ‘21 (Second Team) • All-Main Line Football Team: Hayes (First Team), Swope (First Team), L. White (First Team), Cole Deery ‘21 (Second Team), JT Roberts ‘20 (Second Team), Christian Curatolo ‘21 (Honorable Mention), Cade Szostek ‘20 (Honorable Mention), Isaac White ‘20 (Honorable Mention) • Daily Local News All Area Football Team: Deery (First Team Offensive Linemen), Hayes (First Team Defensive Backs), Will Redden ‘20 (Second Team Offensive Linemen), L. White (Second Team Athlete), I. White (Second Team Defensive Backs), Steven Rose ’21 (Honorable Mention)

• 2019 Class 5A All-EasternPAFootball.com Team: Hayes (First Team Defense) and L. White (First Team Offense). mp

Soccer Sees Growth During Fall Season, Looks to Continue Improving

In a tough Inter-Ac League competition, the Friars finished 3-7, with an overall record of 5-17-1. The team did compete in the postseason, but had a heartbreaking loss to Mercersburg in overtime. Kieran Barr ‘20 and Conor McNally ‘20 received Honorable Mention and Second Team honors in The Daily Local News All-Area Soccer Team. mp

Water Polo Finishes 11-14 Overall

The Friars had a tough season, notching 11-14 overall and 1-7 in the Inter-Ac. In November, the Friars competed at the Eastern Prep Water Polo Championship at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. They finished the tournament 1-1. During their opening game, goalie Jake Caulfield ‘20 made 17 saves. Jack Cassidy ‘20 had four goals, Gavin Kane ‘21 had three goals, while Ben Kutufaris ‘23 and Brady Tierney ‘23 each scored a goal. The Friars lost 13-9, but put up a strong fight. The team won their second game 18-7 against St. Benedict’s Prep. Cassidy scored six goals, Chris Krein ‘21 and Kane scored three goals apiece, and six other Friars tallied one goal each — Adam Utecht ‘22, Kevin Cary ‘22, Michael McMahon ‘21, Eric Yablonski ‘21, Ryan Cochran ‘22, and Tierney. mp

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Eric Moore ‘02:

A Commitment to Service

By: Sarah Ravenfeld

For Eric Moore ‘02 service has always been an integral part of his life. From his service during his time at Malvern, to his service at the United States Naval Academy, and later in the Navy, to his continuing commitment to serve both at Malvern and in the Veteran community, Moore knows service.

“I feel that my commitment to service was cultivated at Malvern. Our commitment to taking care of the less fortunate instilled in me a sense of using the gifts and opportunities I have to make the most of them, and give back to those who are in need of help,” he shared.

Moore played on the football and basketball teams, was the Student Council Treasurer, a MECO leader, and a member of the National Honor Society.

One of his favorite memories from Malvern was his time during the MECO retreat.

“MECO was the culmination of our class coming together in a way that was different than anything we had experienced up until that moment. It creates a bond that lasts a lifetime. It’s hard to articulate the magic that happens during a MECO weekend … it’s almost like Christmas when you are a kid,” reflected Moore.

When Moore was a freshman, his dad took him to the United States Naval Academy and that visit left an impression. From that moment, he knew that’s where he wanted to attend college.

“There’s a discipline and structure in place at Malvern that prepares you, not only for college, but to be an adult and have responsibilities, and to meet expectations. That isn’t something that goes away when you leave Malvern, but it really sets you apart from everyone else,” he said.

Following his four years at the Naval Academy, Moore set off on a whirlwind adventure with the U.S. Navy. He served seven years active duty and six years as a reservist. Moore served a seven-month deployment during the height of the pirate epidemic. He was a ship driver, which meant that he spent a lot of time on the bridge of the ship (AMFIBS) running the operations. He was also stationed in Washington, D.C., as part of the Navy Ceremonial Guard.

“I owe a lot to the foundation I developed at Malvern. When I transitioned out of the military and into the private sector, I felt behind my peers in business acumen, but I felt like I had a strong foundation in my own core values, soft skills, and leadership that I did feel prepared to take on a private sector job. It’s much easier to learn business acumen than it is to develop one’s character.”

Moore has jumped headfirst into giving back to Malvern through his time, talent, and treasure. He is currently the President of the Friar Club, is serving on the Alumni Board, and helps out whenever needed across campus.

“I enjoy working with and seeing passionate alumni from multiple generations come together with different skill sets to drive forward alumni engagements. Take for example Joe Redican ‘60, he is so passionate and involved with Malvern, but add in an alumnus who is fresh out of college with this energy and understanding of new, innovative ways to connect with our alumni … the collaboration is important and effective,” said Moore.

When asked about advice he would share with an alumnus who is considering sending his son to Malvern, he said, “There is so much opportunity at Malvern that it is worth the investment. Not only does Malvern hold true to its core values and principles, but your son will have the benefit of a globally diverse education. The education and experience here is unparalleled. You won’t find another place that has a campus like ours, with the community we have, the strong education, and the variety of extracurricular activities. It’s a premier institution and you’d be missing out if you don’t send your son to Malvern.” mp