Starting this school year, Mr. Brendan Dawson will not only serve as a coach but also as the dean of the middle school.
Following his career as a graduate assistant and defensive coordinator at Salisbury University, where Dawson helped guide the lacrosse team to back-to-back NCAA Division III national championships in 2003 and 2004, he went on to serve as an assistant coach at Dickinson College. Dawson then became the founding head coach at Aurora University, earning Midwest Lacrosse Conference Coach of the Year honors in just his first season. He later led Widener University as head coach, twice being named Commonwealth Coach of the Year while building one of the nation’s strongest Division III defenses. At Haverford College, he was recognized as the Centennial Conference Coach of the Year as he guided the team to its first postseason appearance in seven years.
Initially hired as the school’s Assistant Athletic Director, Mr. Dawson became the Varsity Lacrosse Head Coach after longtime lacrosse coach Mr. John Nostrant departed. And now, he will assume the role of Middle School Dean.
“I heard about the position opening from Dr. Greytok as well as the former dean, Dr. Amy Rottura,” Mr. Dawson said. “I was teaching some of the health and wellness classes in the middle school and heard about it. That experience really allowed me to get in the halls and connect with some of the boys and faculty. I just really enjoy working with kids and building culture in and out of the classroom. They are developing extremely fast. It’s a very important age.”
Mr. Dawson holds a master’s in teaching from Salisbury University. Beyond teaching health classes, he has also led the upper school’s leadership seminar, a spring program designed to prepare Fifth Formers for leadership roles the following year.
“Be yourself and be comfortable. A lot of middle schoolers are afraid to show that they care deeply about things, but it’s really cool to care about what you do.”
Mr. Brendan Dawson
“I hope to continue to lead it,” Mr. Dawson said. “It was definitely formative, as it allowed me to connect with students in the upper school I did not see in athletics, but my availability next year is uncertain. The middle school is my priority. I definitely love doing it. Some of the things we talk about will be used with middle schoolers. Maybe a little bit scaled down.”
Mr. Dawson will continue to direct the lacrosse program. Balancing both responsibilities, he noted, will require careful planning.
“I am going to have to be very intentional,” he said. “It’s definitely going to affect my availability, and there will be a learning curve, but I’m not worried. I’ll figure out the day-to-day and how to balance the middle school with the lacrosse team.”
Mr. Dawson believes coaching has prepared him for this role.
“A lot of coaching is about building teams and culture. Not so much X’s and O’s,” he said. “It’s about building culture in the locker room and weight room that translates to the field. It will be reflected in the middle school in how the students behave in the cafeteria, hallways, and fields, which will translate to the classroom.”
Mr. Dawson has already begun meeting with faculty and getting to know the boys, applying many of the same lessons he uses with his teams to build culture and community. While he recognizes that working with middle schoolers will be different from his years with older students, he sees it as an exciting challenge.
“Middle schoolers are going through a lot of things, but that’s what makes this role fun,” he said.
Mr. Dawson hopes for students to be authentic and passionate.
“Be yourself and be comfortable,” he said. “A lot of middle schoolers are afraid to show that they care deeply about things, but it’s really cool to care about what you do. I wish I could tell my twelve-year-old self that. Be passionate and don’t be afraid—when you’re in a supportive environment, it’s the perfect place to grow and develop.”
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