July 8, 2008
by Paul Ohanian, Lacrosse Magazine Online Staff
Chuck Apel appears to be the stereotypical, hard-nosed, successful, old-school high school boys' lacrosse coach. He's an intense competitor with an intimidating presence, prone to scream to make his point and quick to show his displeasure when instructions are not followed.
His teams are disciplined, well-schooled in the fundamentals, always prepared and always motivated to play at their best. A career record of 327-54 in 26 seasons at New Jersey's Bridgewater-Raritan High School, including a state championship in 1998 and eight conference titles, would seem to provide solid evidence of his leadership abilities.
His intensity, coupled with ample international experience as both a player and a coach, made him an attractive candidate to lead the 2008 U.S. Under-19 men's team in this summer's International Lacrosse Federation (ILF) World Championship.
"We wanted a head coach with a strong personality," said Jake Reed, a member of US Lacrosse Men's Division National Teams Committee. "He's known to be fair, but also a disciplinarian. Factoring in his prior experience of taking a team to a foreign country, and knowing that our kids will be under a microscope, made Chuck an easy choice."
It's no secret that the talented U.S. team, selected during tryouts last summer, will be the favorite once the tournament begins in July in Coquitlam, British Columbia. The U.S. has won each of the five previous ILF U-19 World Championships while amassing a 29-0 all-time record.
On foreign soil, the favored Yankees are unlikely to find many supporters.
"He's the guy you want driving the first wagon when you start circling them up," said U.S. U-19 assistant coach Tim Flynn, who has squared off against Apel for over 25 years as head coach at Mountain Lakes (N.J.) High School. "He's an awesome guy."
That last comment -- echoed by competitors and friends -- is what helps shed light on a different side of Apel.
"Chuck is the kind of guy that is very intense as a coach, and very laid back and approachable as a person," said Mike Vergalito of rival Hunterdon Central (N.J.) High School. "He is always willing to talk on the phone, or give advice on situations that I am dealing with. Chuck has been a mentor to me and has helped me become a better coach."
Flynn said it was Apel who encouraged him to apply as a coach for the U-19 team, despite knowing that the highly-acclaimed Flynn could just as easily have been selected as the head coach.
"Chuck takes responsibility very seriously," said Flynn. "He does tons of work for the New Jersey Coaches Association, and he's a real professional. Our teams have a very spirited rivalry, but it's a pleasure to go on the field against Chuck's team."
Apel's intensity and passion for the game were borne, in part, by his roots on Long Island. After a standout career at East Meadow High School, he moved on to Rutgers University, where he played for the legendary Tom Hayes, a member of the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame. Apel finished as a two-time All-American at Rutgers and won the team's Collett Award as a senior in 1977, awarded to the player with "the best mental and physical spirit."
"He absorbed everything he could," said Hayes. "He became the leader of our defense and became the defenseman who we always put on the other team's best attackman."
In addition to meeting his wife, Jill, on campus, Rutgers also provided Apel with two other valuable experiences -- his first taste of international play and his start in coaching. As one of the nation's foremost supporters of the international game, Hayes welcomed an Australian team to Rutgers for a game in 1976. He then led an American all-star team -- that included his young assistant Chuck Apel -- on an exhibition tour Down Under in 1980.
That same year, when Bridgewater-Raritan began searching for a coach to lead its new lacrosse team, it didn't have to look far. Apel, who had been a student-teacher at the school, was eager to begin utilizing the coaching lessons he had learned at Hayes' side.
"It was very exciting to start a new program in New Jersey," said Apel. "Bridgewater really just fell into place."
Apel had no reservation about moving from the college ranks to high school.
"To me, coaching is coaching," he said. "You take your kids and try to beat the other guy's kids."
B
That basic philosophy has not differed much for Apel through the years. Now approaching the end of his third decade in the coaching ranks, his approach remains the same as when he first started.
"I feel kids want to be challenged, and they want you to work them," he explained.
"They want to be pushed, and they want to be good. Maybe it's considered old school, but to me, it's not acceptable when they're not trying. I try to be demanding of kids, but also treat them like I would treat my own."
Chris Jones, a three-year starter at Bridgewater who is now playing at UMBC, said, "When he stops yelling at you, then you worry."
The fact that Apel will be leading an all-star team featuring some of the best young players in the nation in the ILF World Championship is not likely to change his style.
"We selected players for the team that can do different things," he said. "They all have a lot of talent, but some kids will be asked to do things for the good of the team. Great players do whatever it takes to win. We stressed we wanted kids with good character, and that includes players who do the things that don't show up in the stats."
Apel, who has been involved with the U-19 program since its inception in 1988, appreciates the opportunity at hand. In addition to serving as a team selector through the years, he was an assistant coach on the 1999 U.S. team that won the U-19 world championship in Australia.
"It's really something to hear your national anthem played when you're in another country," he said. "Coaching this team is not a chore. We've got great players and great coaches. This is pretty special stuff."
July 8, 2008
This article appeared in the February 2008 edition of Lacrosse Magazine, a US Lacrosse publication available exclusively to its members. Join today to start your monthly subscription to LM.
by Paul Ohanian, Lacrosse Magazine Online Staff
Chuck Apel appears to be the stereotypical, hard-nosed, successful, old-school high school boys' lacrosse coach. He's an intense competitor with an intimidating presence, prone to scream to make his point and quick to show his displeasure when instructions are not followed.
His teams are disciplined, well-schooled in the fundamentals, always prepared and always motivated to play at their best. A career record of 327-54 in 26 seasons at New Jersey's Bridgewater-Raritan High School, including a state championship in 1998 and eight conference titles, would seem to provide solid evidence of his leadership abilities.
His intensity, coupled with ample international experience as both a player and a coach, made him an attractive candidate to lead the 2008 U.S. Under-19 men's team in this summer's International Lacrosse Federation (ILF) World Championship.
"We wanted a head coach with a strong personality," said Jake Reed, a member of US Lacrosse Men's Division National Teams Committee. "He's known to be fair, but also a disciplinarian. Factoring in his prior experience of taking a team to a foreign country, and knowing that our kids will be under a microscope, made Chuck an easy choice."
It's no secret that the talented U.S. team, selected during tryouts last summer, will be the favorite once the tournament begins in July in Coquitlam, British Columbia. The U.S. has won each of the five previous ILF U-19 World Championships while amassing a 29-0 all-time record.
On foreign soil, the favored Yankees are unlikely to find many supporters.
"He's the guy you want driving the first wagon when you start circling them up," said U.S. U-19 assistant coach Tim Flynn, who has squared off against Apel for over 25 years as head coach at Mountain Lakes (N.J.) High School. "He's an awesome guy."
That last comment -- echoed by competitors and friends -- is what helps shed light on a different side of Apel.
"Chuck is the kind of guy that is very intense as a coach, and very laid back and approachable as a person," said Mike Vergalito of rival Hunterdon Central (N.J.) High School. "He is always willing to talk on the phone, or give advice on situations that I am dealing with. Chuck has been a mentor to me and has helped me become a better coach."
Flynn said it was Apel who encouraged him to apply as a coach for the U-19 team, despite knowing that the highly-acclaimed Flynn could just as easily have been selected as the head coach.
"Chuck takes responsibility very seriously," said Flynn. "He does tons of work for the New Jersey Coaches Association, and he's a real professional. Our teams have a very spirited rivalry, but it's a pleasure to go on the field against Chuck's team."
Apel's intensity and passion for the game were borne, in part, by his roots on Long Island. After a standout career at East Meadow High School, he moved on to Rutgers University, where he played for the legendary Tom Hayes, a member of the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame. Apel finished as a two-time All-American at Rutgers and won the team's Collett Award as a senior in 1977, awarded to the player with "the best mental and physical spirit."
"He absorbed everything he could," said Hayes. "He became the leader of our defense and became the defenseman who we always put on the other team's best attackman."
In addition to meeting his wife, Jill, on campus, Rutgers also provided Apel with two other valuable experiences -- his first taste of international play and his start in coaching. As one of the nation's foremost supporters of the international game, Hayes welcomed an Australian team to Rutgers for a game in 1976. He then led an American all-star team -- that included his young assistant Chuck Apel -- on an exhibition tour Down Under in 1980.
 |
"I feel kids want to be challenged, and they want you to work them. They want to be pushed, and they want to be good. Maybe it's considered old school, but to me, it's not acceptable when they're not trying. I try to be demanding of kids, but also treat them like I would treat my own." Chuck Apel, head coach of the U.S. U-19 team
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"It was very exciting to start a new program in New Jersey," said Apel. "Bridgewater really just fell into place."
Apel had no reservation about moving from the college ranks to high school.
"To me, coaching is coaching," he said. "You take your kids and try to beat the other guy's kids."
B
"I feel kids want to be challenged, and they want you to work them," he explained.
"They want to be pushed, and they want to be good. Maybe it's considered old school, but to me, it's not acceptable when they're not trying. I try to be demanding of kids, but also treat them like I would treat my own."
Chris Jones, a three-year starter at Bridgewater who is now playing at UMBC, said, "When he stops yelling at you, then you worry."
The fact that Apel will be leading an all-star team featuring some of the best young players in the nation in the ILF World Championship is not likely to change his style.
"We selected players for the team that can do different things," he said. "They all have a lot of talent, but some kids will be asked to do things for the good of the team. Great players do whatever it takes to win. We stressed we wanted kids with good character, and that includes players who do the things that don't show up in the stats."
Apel, who has been involved with the U-19 program since its inception in 1988, appreciates the opportunity at hand. In addition to serving as a team selector through the years, he was an assistant coach on the 1999 U.S. team that won the U-19 world championship in Australia.
"It's really something to hear your national anthem played when you're in another country," he said. "Coaching this team is not a chore. We've got great players and great coaches. This is pretty special stuff."
