Coach Manuel Chavez

Q: When was the first time you realized you loved lacrosse?

A: I was about 4 or 5 years old.

Q: When or how did you decide that coaching was in the table for you or that it was something you wanted to do?

A: I was about 19, and I had an old coach ask if I would be interested in coaching youth box lacrosse. I said “Sure, why not?” After that, I loved coaching and I ended up coaching that program for almost 10 years. 

Q: What drives you as a coach?

A: Wanting to be the best. I grew up being told that the only way to be the best is through hard work and that nothing is gonna be easy.

Q: What goals do you personally have for your time with this program?

A: My goal is to turn this program into a powerhouse in 4A. 

Q: What are two things you hope to accomplish with this particular group of young people?

A: Help them grow into respectable young men and get all these young men to play in college. 

Q: What do you think is the most important thing an athlete can do to grow as a player and as a person?

A: Accept criticism, whether it’s negative or positive. Once you can accept that, you can build your life stronger.

Q: Who has been your favorite or most inspirational coach or athlete? 

A: My high school in Minnesota Mark Hellenack. He was my middle school and high school club coach. I also had the pleasure of coaching under him as well. 

Q: What advice would you give yourself as a high schooler?

A: Don’t be afraid to take a risk and try new things. 

Q: What qualities or skills do you hope to have (or grow) five years from now?

A: I’d like to have better communication skills five years from now. If you ask my team parents and players they’ll say I have good communication skills, but if you ask my wife, she says I need to work on my communication more, haha. 

Q: What are some other hobbies or interests you have and how do they help you with coaching?

A: Hockey, I love hockey. When you live in Minnesota, hockey is a way of life, so watching hockey, playing hockey, studying hockey, has always been a hobby for me. The kind of work playing hockey, and learning the sport of hockey, takes is a great equalizer to lacrosse. In every way, shape, or form, hockey and lacrosse work perfectly together. So the things I’ve learned playing hockey will help build a strong lacrosse program. 

Q: What song are you walking out to?

A: Dura by Daddy Yankee

Manuel Girón Chavez is the Head Lacrosse Coach for the boys at Thompson Valley High School in Loveland, Colorado. With ties to Minnesota and Mexico, Coach Chavez has experience with hockey and coaching box lacrosse as well as with playing as a box lacrosse goalie.

Thompson Valley Eagles are located in the 4A - Northern League for Colorado Lacrosse. Their instagram handle is @tvhs_blax. Check out their MaxPrep page here and follow their progress across the year.

**Art was done by Jessie Downs. Her instagram handle is @whiksers and to view more of her work you can check out her page here.