Wednesday, February 20, 2013

U.S. National Team Alum Paul Schimoler's Passing and Legacy

Fred Opie,  Sal Lacossio, and Paul Schimoler (far right) at Homewood Field  Hopkins U, Baltimore 1990

I wanted to share this obituary I received this morning on the passing of one of my teammates. I played on the 1990 U. S. National Team with Paul Schimoler and with his brother John at Syracuse University. John passed last summer. PAUL SCHIMOLER (Essex)  -  Paul Schimoler died peacefully Friday evening, Feb. 15, 2013, after a short battle with cancer, at the age of 45. He grew up in Upper Brookville, Long Island, and attended St. Mary's High School in Manhasset, before Cornell University. Paul was an incredibly beloved coach, lacrosse player, husband and father, perhaps known best for holding the Division I record for most saves in an NCAA Tournament (85, in 1988). Others closest to him also know him as a bona fide chef/grill master, and for having a tireless willingness to help others in need. A 1989 graduate of Cornell, he was a four time All-Ivy and All American selection and the Ivy League Rookie of the Year as a freshman. During his sophomore year, the Big Red were crowned Ivy League Champions and were NCAA Division I runners-up in 1987 and 1988. In his final campaign, he was named Ivy League Player of the Year and was selected to the North-South team. He had extensive post-collegiate playing experience as a member of the 1990 and 1994 World Teams, both of which were gold winners. He was inducted into the Cornell Hall of Fame in 1999, and the Long Island Metropolitan Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2004. He was drafted by the Boston Cannons of the Major Lacrosse League in 2001 and played club lacrosse in the USCLA, where he was active in the national tournament circuit. Paul continued to be involved in club lacrosse over the years, notably playing for team Rusty Red, who enjoyed many championships at the annual Lake Placid Classic Lacrosse tournament. Paul would have been in his second season as an assistant coach at Dartmouth College, after joining the staff in the summer of 2011. Prior to coming to Dartmouth, he was the head coach at Saint Michael's College. He was named the NEILA Division II Coach of the Year in 2011. He recently founded the Vermont-based lacrosse school "VTribe". Paul is survived by his wife, Lynn Ellen; their son, Jack, and daughter, Serena; sister, Ellen Kelly (NJ); brother, Steve Schimoler (OH); sister, Laura Reed (KY); sister, Mary Lou Cass (CO); and many nieces and nephews. Paul was predeceased by his parents, Doc and Bea; and brother, John. Memorial services will be held on Saturday at 1:00 p.m., February 23, 2013, at the Chapel of Saint Michael the Archangel on the campus of Saint Michael's College in Colchester. There will be an additional memorial service in Long Island, NY at a future date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made out to "Paul Schimoler Fund," towards an educational fund for the children to: Branch Manager, TD Banknorth, 100 Center Road, Essex, VT 05452.









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