Former soccer player is new lacrosse coach
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
Bryan Fisher’s first varsity head coaching job isn’t one he anticipated, but he is thrilled to be guiding the West Windsor-Plainsboro South girls lacrosse team.
”I’m a soccer guy,” Fisher said. “I played soccer at West Windsor when it was just Windsor Windsor-Plainsboro. I’ve coached soccer for 10 years. I’ve been a part of the basketball program for seven or eight years. To think I’d be the head of the girls lacrosse program, I can’t say I planned it. I see it as a great challenge for me. I’m looking forward to it.”
Fisher found more than 70 girls at Pirate tryouts, a strong sign that some of the first things he did when he was named coach eight months ago already are paying off. Fisher drummed up interest early in his tenure by getting the Pirates playing in a summer league and again in the winter. With the start of the preseason, he is getting his first chance to mold a WW-P South team that won three games last year.
”It definitely is something different,” said Fisher, who takes over for Brooke Parrott. “It’s exciting. It’s something to have your own team. And when you have such interest, you feel pretty good about it.”
Fisher will pull from a variety of his experiences. He played lacrosse in his senior year at WW-P. He served as an assistant coach to Kerry Weigner for the Pirates boys for five seasons, and when Parrott was hired two years ago, he moved over to the girls side as an assistant and coached the junior varsity girls.
”I figured I’d do it for a year,” Fisher said. “Here I am two years later.”
Fisher has gotten more involved in the girls game after two seasons in it. He feels confident in his knowledge as he begins his first varsity head coaching job.
”That first year was quite an adjustment,” Fisher said. “I’ve learned a lot going to clinics and reading as much as I can and watching videos, and getting the chance to watch the Princeton (University) girls, there are tremendous lessons there.
”I feel a lot more comfortable and I’m embracing the girls game. As much as the girls have gotten physically stronger and faster than they were, it’s a different game. It’s a game that a couple years ago didn’t have boundaries. The free flowing of it makes it great to watch.”
Fisher is hoping that the Pirates will be great to watch this season. With such a strong turnout, and from what he saw in the offseason leading up to now, he has been encouraged by the development.
”When I was hired at the end of last summer, the first thing I did was put together a summer team,” Fisher said. “We had about 20 girls participate in summer lacrosse. That’s the first time in a while that the girls had taken an interest in summer lacrosse. I had a meeting and talked about having a little pride and how it was important. We had 40 girls play winter lacrosse this year. I like the enthusiasm and energy coming from the girls. It’s been tremendous.”
The Pirates started to embrace their program. They had a T-shirt and sweatshirt drive and outfitted their team to show off their pride.
”That’s important stuff,” Fisher said. “I think the girls bought in early and that only helps us now. We’ve had scrimmages (Thursday) and Monday and seen good results. A lot of that is due to what the girls did in the offseason.”
Fisher credits his seniors with taking the lead. They have helped him make the transition to head coach easier, and have him looking forward to his first year in the new post.
”I have nine seniors,” Fisher said. “All nine of them have been on board with making this the best they can make it. I have girls that play field hockey, soccer and basketball. I feel I have the best athletes in the school and it’s my job to coach them up. I think if I can do that, we’ll see some good success.”

