Howard Benedict
| Howard Benedict | |
|---|---|
| — Lacrosse player — | |
| Coaching career |
New Canaan High School 1974 - 2007 Fairfield College Preparatory School 2014 - present (Freshman/Asst.) |
| Nationality | US |
New Canaan High School 1974 - 2007
Howard Benedict is an American high school lacrosse coach, considered one of the "founding fathers of Connecticut lacrosse."
Benedict grew up in Fairfield Connecticut, and graduated from Fairfield College Preparatory School in 1963. Benedict was a varsity lacrosse player at Lafayette College, graduating in 1967.
Benedict was hired at New Canaan High School in the summer of 1973 as an English teacher and to build the school's lacrosse program. He coached the school's first varsity team in New Canaan in 1974. Benedict founded the New Canaan Lacrosse Association in 1979. His brother, Jonathan, who went on to become the Chief Connecticut State Prosecutor (famous for convicting Michael Skakel), drew up the non-profit incorporation papers.
Benedict went on to win a combined 18 FCIAC and CT State Championships. In three different decades, he would help lead the Rams to undefeated seasons (1982, 1990, 2003), the most of any school in Connecticut. After a controversial dismissal by New Canaan High School administrators during the winter 2008, Benedict was named the US Lacrosse CT Man of the Year in the spring of 2008.
He was inducted into the Connecticut Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2011, as "truly a great coach." Also inducted in 2011 was one of Benedict's former players, Andy Towers. Towers was the first ever player inducted into the Connecticut Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
In November 2013, Benedict inducted New Canaan's first All-American, Carl Nissen, into the Connecticut Lacrosse Hall of Fame. On the same night, he inducted current Fairfield Prep lacrosse coach Christopher Smalkais. In January 2015, Benedict inducted another one of his players, David Curry, into the Connecticut Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
In the spring of 2014, Benedict returned to coaching at Fairfield College Preparatory School, as a Varsity Assistant and as the Freshman Coach. At the conclusion of the 2014 season, Benedict was awarded the "Frank Barron Lifetime Achievement Award" for his extraordinary contributions to the sport of lacrosse in Connecticut.
Benedict has coached a long list of outstanding players who have succeeded in the highest levels of college lacrosse. A number of his players were drafted to play professionally in the MLL, these include: Andy Towers ’87 (Brown), Scott Harrison ’91 (Duke), David Curry ‘93 (UVA), Austin Garrison ’98 (UNC), Dan Gross ’01 (Loyola), Tommy Harris '03 (Hartford), David Hawley ’07 (Brown) and Charlie Streep ’07 (Bucknell/UVA).
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