Coach Rowe: First off, let it be known I wouldn’t usually do something like this, but always available for the Fredericks and appreciate your family. I really enjoyed following you for football this fall and what you are doing at 717 sports.

Carl Frederick: You were an assistant for a number of years, was your ultimate goal to become a Head Coach, whether at your alma mater or anywhere else?

Coach Rowe: I would say that I came back to my alma mater with a mindset that I wanted to do everything I could to help make our guys successful as lacrosse players and young men. When Zack had to step away due to family and work, it made sense to transition and to make sure we kept our momentum going and I happened to be next in line. Our brotherhood and culture at Penn Manor Lacrosse is very genuine and real. I never considered leaving Penn Manor to be a coach elsewhere. This is the town and community that raised me and it’s a special place.

CF: Coach Charles won a lot of games as the Head honcho, do you feel any pressure to duplicate his success?

Coach Rowe: Ha! Coach Charles and I are best friends so I’m sure we will have fun with that. However, I don’t feel the pressure on the wins and losses. I feel the pressure of keeping our culture special. Maintaining our reputation in the Penn Manor community as a program that does it the right way from top to bottom. A youth program is so key in High School athletics, and I want to always keep our great coaches and support down there. I want every youth family to send their kid to lacrosse and it’s a memorable experience and they want to come back. We have some amazing parents and coaches down there right now and couldn’t do it without them.

CF: With all the construction going on at PM does it make it extra challenging trying to prepare your kids for the upcoming season?

Coach Rowe: No way man… Comet Field has stayed the same through all this and that stadium was ahead of its time!

CF: What does Penn Manor have to do to get over the hump to finally beat Hempfield (The Comets have never beaten the Black Knights in School History)?

Coach Rowe: Like I said earlier, a youth program is such a driving force in this. If you’re losing to Hempfield 15-0 in a middle school game, you might change the result to 12-5 in High School but you’re still falling short. However, I think the local lacrosse community will tell you that Penn Manor is on the rise from k-8th grade. Our numbers are growing like crazy and we are attracting the top athletes in our district at earlier ages. I think the current and next two quarterbacks all will be lacrosse players at Penn Manor and I love guys playing multiple sports. It certainly makes them better at both.

CF: Who are some players throughout the LL that we should be on the lookout for?

Coach Rowe: Max Grube over at Hempfield is a big right-handed attackman and special athlete and sounds like he’s heading to Penn State to continue his career. It’s a good thing to see D1 athletes in terms of size playing lacrosse in our area. Stewart McClain over at LS is another guy that always impressed me. Plays the game hard and always scrappy. I hope he’s back from injury and can finish out his last season. Bennett Palmer at Manheim Township finished an impressive freshman season last year. Can be a challenge for a Freshman to come in and have a role like that. He’s got a great stick, IQ of the game, and will have a bright future. Most importantly, seems like a great teammate and you need these guys in a High School locker room.

Coach Rowe takes over a competitive section and is more than up for the challenge. He has been an integral part of Penn Manor lacrosse both as a player and Coach, and will stop at nothing to get the Comets on top. Should be a very fun season in the LL League, all the action begins this weekend!