Danbury lacrosse coach named FCIAC Coach of the Year

Danbury High School boys’ lacrosse coach, William Kersten, has been named “Coach of the Year” by the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference (FCIAC). He is the second coach from Danbury to receive such an honor this season. Nick Fratticelli was named “Coach of the Year” for coaching the girls’ indoor track team.

A special education teacher at Broadview Middle School since 2013, Kersten also taught at the high school from 2002-06. Kersten has spent 23 years coaching sports, including soccer. He took over the DHS lacrosse team in 2014; the team had one win the season prior to his takeover. The team recorded a 9-8 record this season.

“We’ve been steadily moving the program long,” Kersten said. “It’s an honor and certainly humbling to be chosen as Coach of the Year because it’s decided on by fellow coaches. Where the team was in 2012 and where it is today . . . to get something like this is a reflection of the hard work of the players and assistant coaches.”

Kersten, who coaches the team with Allen Tarsi and Paul Purdy, said the assistant coaches are a big part of the team’s success as well as support from the school administration. He said that the biggest obstacle to success has been getting players to buy into a new system of play, but slowly it is becoming engrained in his players.

“Our philosophy is to play a good man-to-man defense and share the ball offensively,” he said. “The players have worked extremely hard this year.”