TCAPS Names Rich Axtell Lead Girls Lacrosse Coach
New Co-op Varsity Girls Sport Begins This Spring
Traverse City Area Public Schools (TCAPS) is pleased to announce the hiring of Rich Axtell as TCAPS’ Girls Varsity Lacrosse Coach. Axtell brings with him a wealth of coaching experience, leading East Grand Rapids High School’s women's lacrosse team to seven state championships.
Originally from Bernardsville, New Jersey, Axtell earned his B.A. from Dartmouth College and M.D. from Johns Hopkins Medical School. His medical career took him from New York to Michigan, where he retired from medicine as the attending physician at DeVos Children’s Hospital and Assistant Professor of Pediatric Hematology at Michigan State University.
Rich Axtell’s coaching career began in 2002 with the East Grand Rapids boys middle school lacrosse team. Throughout his coaching career, he has earned 10 conference championships, 11 regional championships, and seven state championships. Most recently, he served as the assistant coach for the combined Forest Hills Eastern and Forest Hills Northern women’s varsity lacrosse program.
Girls lacrosse is an MHSAA sport new to TCAPS and will be a co-op between Traverse City Central High School and Traverse City West Senior High School. Additional details about tryouts will be announced as the spring season approaches.