Headstrong, charismatic, supremely confident … all these superlatives sum up Roy Colsey.

The new Ridgefield coach opened a new chapter in his illustrious career with a lopsided win over Bridgeport Central on Wednesday. The sky appears to be the limit for his team in 2009. Colsey has some high expectations, desires he says his players believe are very much attainable.

Colsey, the former All-American at Syracuse who needs no introduction anywhere in the civilized lacrosse world,  recently sat down for an interview with LaxLessons.com, during which we discussed his team’s chances this season, other things pertaining to his previous coaching stops and what the future may have in store for a man who has excelled at virtually every level of the game.

So here we go. Five questions with Roy Colsey.

A lot has been made about your sudden departure from Horace Greeley after just one season. So here’s your chance to set the record straight as to why you ultimately decided to leave and take the job at Ridgefield. Bottom line: What happened?

“I like the Greeley kids. I loved my time there. But I’m glad to be coaching in my own town because I don’t have a lot to offer to the town that I live in. I don’t work here. I don’t have a business in Ridgefield. Lacrosse is all I have to give back to Ridgefield, so I’m glad to be able to do that.”

Talk to me about the transition, going from being a Westchester guy to Fairfield, a place that is also rich in high school lacrosse tradition and excellence. What’s the biggest difference?

“The part that is dramatically different for me is that I’m no longer in Section 1. It was really all I knew at the high school level. I don’t remember ever playing or coaching against Darien. I know every coach in Section 1, but am just getting my feet wet over here. Section 1 was a very comfortable fit. It’s not like that for me over here, yet. I love the game. I’m a student of the game. I’m going to be keeping my eyes open.”

You starred at Yorktown. How weird was it for your first experience as Ridgefield coach to come against Yorktown at the Hand Tournament?

“It was fun. It was nice to get out there. Yorktown is Yorktown. I knew they’d be good, but it was extra special for me because of how well we played against them and the other teams that day up at Hand.”

Some people say you have walked into the perfect situation at Ridgefield — with a loaded team that will probably be right there at the end in the FCIAC and state races by accident. Considering what you have to work with, would you consider anything short of a county or state title a faiilure?

“There’s only two goals that matter — winning the FCIAC and the state. It’s not even just me thinking that, the kids are motivated. They want to be the ones that change the tide. They want to be the ones who get it done.”

Looking at your out-of-conference schedule, you play three good teams in Somers of Section 1, Lawrenceville of N.J. and Massapequa of Long Island. Any chance you get a Yorktown or John Jay on the schedule in the future?

“Believe me when I say I want to get one or both of them, but we only get four out-of-FCIAC games. I’ve been calling everyone, but schedules are often difficult to make because some teams are locked into certain games due to rivalry, tradition or scheduling glitches. But that’s okay because I’ll keep calling everybody. I like the teams we have scheduled and the fact that Wilton is considered a non-conference game, of course, I had to add them. But, ultimately, my team deserves to be recognized on the national scene. We will play anybody.”

There you have it. Colsey has laid out the welcome mat. It will be interesting to see who responds to the invitation in the future.

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Posted In: Fairfield lacrosse, Interviews

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15 Responses to “Interview: Ridgefield coach Roy Colsey”

  1. towny'93 says:

    Roy, you will always be a Husker!!!!

  2. deadhead92 says:

    Roy will certainly always be a Husker…The show he put on for 4yrs at YHS was truly remarkable..Good luck with everything over there in Conneticut but remember your roots!!! We would love to have you on the coaching staff 😉

    (now that would be just too unfair….)

    Good luck Roy!!!!

  3. slacrosse says:

    Mahopac Score??

  4. ripo says:

    6-5 northport won

  5. slacrosse says:

    HG/FP,

    At 10-5, if things not bad enough (Moffa’s saves kept the score down) FP get 3 min non -lease stick penalty and during this period it became 3 man down!

    FP’s D very porous and Moffa got visibly upset/frustrated with his D on a number of goals.

    HG ran a disciplined O and won 95+% of FO. katchis, Litwak created havoc among FP

    A mismatch.

  6. CoppsHill says:

    Roy brings not only instant respect to the Ridgefield program, but the kind of swagger we need to get to the next level.

  7. Lax Novice says:

    Pardon my being ignorant, but how was it that the Ridgefield coaching position opened up in the first place? I have the FCIAC final from 2008 on the DVR, and the MSG guys were giving last year’s Head Coach high praise, apparently deserved. So why the switch?

  8. Joe Lombardi says:

    Andy Stockfisch, who guided the Tigers to a 19-4 record last year, left the Ridgefield School District all together. He had been a teacher there during his two years as head coach of Ridgefield. He’s now an assistant at Brien McMahon.

  9. Lax Novice says:

    Thanks, Joe.

  10. Cards Lax says:

    This is the second time Ridgefield has let a coach of the year go in the year that they won the coach of the year award and had a great season.

    Roy can expect the same. Why would he be any different than the two other coaches? He didn’t build anything there,they did and were tossed aside by parents and a program that don’t respect their coaches.

  11. Cards Lax says:

    Roy is their third coach in 4 years and both of the other guys won coach of the year.

  12. Sec 1 Lax says:

    Can someone interpret his first answer for me about leaving Greeley? I don’t care if he did leave, I just do not understand what he said in his response.

  13. Lax Novice says:

    It sounds to me like he lives in Ridgefield, so it made sense for him to take the job when it became available, no more commuting to Chappaqua. It also sounds like the revolving door to the coaching office is shut, at least until they lose to Darien, Greenwich and/or Prep.

  14. tizo says:

    joe who won the rye v. hen hud game????????

  15. tizo says:

    mahopac coach said he garanteed that they will be in the finals and they go out and lose to lakeland. Haddlend keep your mouth shut.

Leave a Reply to Lax Novice