by Tom Mahon, Daily News Sports Writer
Dave Evans isn’t exactly sure why he’s returning for his fifth season as head coach of the Philadelphia Wings.
He doesn’t get to do a weekly TV or radio show the way some Philadelphia coaches do. He doesn’t get paid to drink milk or wear a certain brand of shirts, either.
In fact, to hear him tell it, he barely gets paid at all.
“Economically, it’s foolish,” said Evans, who is anxiously awaiting the indoor lacrosse team’s season opener against Boston tomorrow night at 8 the Spectrum. “It’s probably cost me $20,000 (over the past four seasons). I could be home collecting unemployment and making more money than I do here.”
Home for Evans is Vancouver, where he toils full-time as a groundskeeper, seasonal work that affords him the luxury of coaching the Wings, but not much else.
“It’s only because of my job at home that I’m able to do it,” Evans said. ”I’m really thinking this might be my last year, but, I’ve said that every year. I feel a loyalty to the team, but if we had a really bad year, or a really good year, I probably wouldn’t be back. If we finish in the middle of the pack, I’d have to think about it.”
The Wings did exactly that last season, when, instead of winning what would have been their third straight league championship, they ended up in last place in the American Division with a 5-5 record.
This season Evans has made some changes, in part because of a new rule that has shaved 10 seconds – from 40 to 30 – off the shot clock, and will create a faster offensive style than the Wings have used in the past.
“I think you’ll see a different type of team,” Evans said. “One that’s more athletic, more speed-oriented. It’ll be a lot more entertaining team. We’ve got a good infusion of young people, and, talentwise I think we’re as good as the first championship team of three years ago.”
One of the newcomers Evans expects a lot from is John Nostrant, who the Wings acquired in an offseason trade with the Baltimore Thunder.
Nostrant, a three-year veteran with the Thunder, scored 22 goals last season and made the league All-Star team as a second-team All-Pro. He originally was drafted by the the Wings – a team he’s always wanted to play for – but narrowly missed making the final cut and ended up in Baltimore.
“I think the Wings are the premier team in the league,” said Nostrant, who is a grade-school teacher and varsity lacrosse coach at Haverford School. ”You always played your best against them, especially when you came to the Spectrum.
“I can remember playing there one St. Patrick’s Day and fans were coming up to me in hard hats with their faces painted yelling at me to go home. It was great.”
Nostrant’s presence will help make up for the loss of fellow lefthander Brad Kotz, who retired after last season.
Key returnees for the Wings include John Tucker, John Conley, Chris Flynn, Paul Deniken, assistant captains Scott Gabrielsen and Ricky Fried and captain Tony Resch.
Resch thinks the team has the potential to be as successful as the two championship teams he’s played on.
“All of the ingredients are there, said Resch, a substitute teacher in the Philadelphia public school system. “It’s just a matter of finding what everyone’s role is.
“I don’t think we can aim for anything but a championship season. It’s certainly within our reach if we play well.”
(Philadelphia Daily News, January 10, 1992)