Ann O. Coakley, Massachusetts – 1993

Ann O. Coakley, Massachusetts – 1993

Ann started her teaching career in 1948 at Pembroke College at Brown University.  In 1989 she retired after a 30 year career at Bridgewater State College where she taught in the physical education major preparation program.

She was very active with the Boston and the United States field hockey and lacrosse associations and earned a spot on the 1951 USWLA touring team to Great Britain and Ireland, and managed and coached the 1970 USWLA Touring Team to Great Britain.  From 1959 through 1989, Ann was a selection committee member for the Boston Field Hockey Association, the Northeast Field Hockey Association and the Boston Women’s Lacrosse Association.  Ann was also a local and national umpire in lacrosse.

Her leadership roles included serving as the first vice president of the United States Women’s Lacrosse Association and as the chairperson of International Tours, International Federation, and Women’s Lacrosse Association.

Ann was the head coach of the lacrosse department at Merestead Camps in Pennsylvania.  In 1978 she organized the New England Colleges Lacrosse tourney at Bridgewater State College.                                  
The following was the dedication for the Hall of Fame Induction program for 2008
A SALUTE TO ANN COAKLEY           

Ann O. Coakley relinquished her position on the New Agenda: Northeast Committee.  After many years of dedicated service to this organization, she decided to pass the torch to others and put her energy into other activities.  She currently resides in Bridgewater, MA, and is seen on the BSC campus at field hockey, softball, and lacrosse games. 

As an organization and as individuals we have many reasons to thank Ann.  Here are just a few:
Thank you for growing up in Norwood, MA, and showing everyone that girls can play football, baseball, and tennis.

Thank you for deciding to become a teacher and selecting Boston University’s Sargent College to specialize in physical education.

Thank you for learning and excelling in lacrosse at college and moving on to play with the Boston Women’s Lacrosse Association on weekends, traveling to Philadelphia, NJ, NY, Virginia, Ohio, and Baltimore.

Thank you to Ann’s parents who sold their family silver tea set to pay for Ann’s passage on the Queen Mary so that Ann could play for the USWLA Touring Team in Great Britain and Ireland against national and regional teams.

Thank you for managing and coaching the US women’s lacrosse team for a 10-week tour of Europe.

Thank you for teaching at Pembroke College, the University of North Carolina – Greensboro, and at Cornell before settling at Bridgewater State College for 30 years.

Thank you for starting and coaching the women’s lacrosse teams at Bridgewater State College as well as teaching and mentoring the many physical education majors at the College.

Thank you for 15 years of nationally ranked lacrosse umpiring.

Thank you for tutoring in a literacy program for 12 years.

Thank you for supporting the advancement of girls and women in sport and representing successful women in many Halls of Fame: USWLA, Boston University, NewAgenda: Northeast, Bridgewater State College, and New England Women in Sport.

Thank you for the many years of service to the New Agenda-Northeast as a board and committee member, sharing your passion, insight, and wisdom.