Dave Earl of Severna Park Boys Lacrosse Named Buffalo Wild Wings Coach of the Month

Dave Earl, who coaches the Severna Park High School boys' lacrosse team in Anne Arundel County, is the County Sports Zone/Buffalo Wild Wings Coach of the Month!

Coach Earl, who is in his fourth season at Severna Park, led the program to a 17-2 record this season and its third straight MPSSAA state championship.

"Our kids come in and work hard every day," Coach Earl said. "They show up to practice and flip the switch when we start. For those two hours of practice they're focused on one thing, and that's getting better."

Coach Earl is a native of College Park and played his high school lacrosse for West Nottingham Academy. He walked on at Hofstra University, where he played for two seasons, before finishing his career at Salisbury University.

Coach Earl started his coaching career as the head club lacrosse coach at Johns Hopkins but took a hiatus from it as he was building up Severn Records Inc., a record label that produces mostly jazz and blues music, which he owns.

He got back into coaching at St. Mary's High School in Annapolis as an assistant on the freshman/sophomore team. Coach Earl worked up the ranks from there, eventually spending two seasons coaching at Anne Arundel Community College before joining Severna Park.

"It's just awesome when a former player calls me a decade or so after playing just to say thanks. Those are the moments you live for," Coach Earl said. "Seeing your players move on and be successful in life and become great members of society is pretty neat. Knowing that you may have had a little impact on them is why I coach."

A big reason for Severna Park's success under Coach Earl has been the team's ability to thrive in close games. The past two state championships Severna Park has won were each by one goal over Churchill, with this past season's title game going to overtime.

To Coach Earl, doing situational work in practice is the best way to get his players ready for those big moments in games.

"We try to cover every situation in practice and do our best to simulate a real game. We'll turn the scoreboard on and get the clock running down, or we'll have music playing loudly in practice so the group has to get used to communicating in a tough environment," Coach Earl said. "At the end of the day though, it comes down to the character of our guys. They play hard and really enjoy playing in those close game situations."

To his players, Coach Earl's coaching style ensures that not only does the team improve on the field, but away from it as well.

"Winning three state championships in a row speaks for itself," junior goalkeeper Shane Carr said. "He's tough on us in practice, but also very encouraging. All he wants to see is for us to get better. He's really here to make us better people, it isn't all about lacrosse with him."

For being named County Sports Zone/Buffalo Wild Wings Coach of the Month, Coach Earl received a gift certificate, bottle of sauce, and hat from Buffalo Wild Wings, as well as a County Sports Zone t-shirt.

If you'd like to make a nomination for next month's County Sports Zone/Buffalo Wild Wings Coach of the Month, email Wick Eisenberg at weisenberg@countysportszone.com.

Congratulations to Coach Earl!