From the classroom to the soccer field, history teacher Mr. Kevin Tryon’s commitment to inspiring students and athletes inside and outside of Haverford has had a tremendous impact. For his work in coaching, he was recently recognized with the Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Mike Barr Excellence in Coaching Award.
Mr. Tryon’s involvement with soccer is lifelong. He graduated from Franklin & Marshall, where he also played soccer competitively. While at F&M he was a three-year first-team all-conference selection and also a NSCAA NJ, PA, DE Region Team selection in those same years.
After college, he attended graduate school at the University of Chicago. He began coaching and teaching in 1987, first at Westtown School, before moving to Haverford in 2000.
Here Mr. Tryon has taught a variety of history classes. In his first two years he taught Modern World History in the upper school and U.S. History from 1865 to the Present in the middle school (fun fact: current upper school history teacher Mr. Timothy Lengel was one of his students).
Over the years Mr. Tryon has also taught Ancient World History and the honors-level European Dictators class, a Sixth Form course.
When asked what he enjoys about teaching history, Mr. Tryon says he likes the narrative.
“[History] is the study of all of us, the story we all share. It is curiosity about each other, our past, where we came from and, possibly, where we are going. We are all storytellers and the narrative of how [events] unfolded is interesting,” Mr. Tryon said.
Mr. Tryon’s favorite part of teaching here is the ability to teach different grade levels.
“Teaching seniors at the honors level is a world away from teaching ninth graders,” Mr. Tryon said. “It’s fun to get to see the cerebral development of boys over four years.”
Mr. Tryon humorously compares himself and his role to that of Gandalf from Lord of the Rings, with students being the hobbits he has to protect. He is similarly funny and reflective when considering his role as a teacher and a coach, noting they are very similar.
“Teaching I do in long pants and coaching I do in short pants,” Mr. Tryon said.
In addition to coaching junior varsity soccer at Haverford, Mr. Tryon is involved as a coach with the Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Association, where he was recently recognized with the Mike Barr Award.
These are the same characteristics Mr. Tryon brings to his classes, where his integrity, honor, humor, and humility also shine through
The award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated a lifetime of dedication to coaching and educating within the Eastern Pennsylvania youth soccer community.
According to the award criteria, recipients are those who have “served with integrity, honor, humor and humility and have made extensive and far reaching contributions to the process by which youth soccer players and coaches are taught in Eastern Pennsylvania.”
These are the same characteristics Mr. Tryon brings to his classes, where his integrity, honor, humor, and humility also shine through.
“My high school experience wouldn’t be the same without Mr. Tryon,” Sixth Former Kevin Covington said. “As an advisor and teacher, he has guided me, supported me and encouraged me to be the best I could be.”
