(Ed. Note: Kate Dilworth is a junior at Yarmouth High School and just happens to be the granddaughter of the subject of this article. She is a starting defender for the school’s talented girls’ lacrosse team and recently job shadowed with The Forecaster as part of her Career Exploration Program)

YARMOUTH—Some retirees move to Florida to escape the cold weather, but Warden Dilworth, 78, a retired school teacher, endures the cold weather to pursue his passion, girls’ lacrosse.

Dilworth, the goalie coach of the Yarmouth program for 10 years, has been essential to the Clippers’ success. His positivity and knowledge of the game is the driving force behind the varsity team.

Dilworth has worked with Carlie Woodson and Stephanie Moulton, both junior goalies for Yarmouth. Carlie Woodson, varsity starter, has been a powerhouse in net this year. As Kelley Kasper, 2009 graduate of Yarmouth, was an unstoppable goalie last year, Woodson has taken over the responsibility as the rock of the team.

“I watched Kelley last year and really looked up to her,” Woodson said. “Watching her really gained my confidence. I’ve grown up with the girls who are on the team this year and that helps.”

“(Carlie’s) mechanics are better than last year,” Dilworth said. “She’s very quick and a free position (stopping a one-on-one shot by the opposition) phenomenon. A lot of goalies have trouble with those shots, but she doesn’t. She speaks to her teammates. I think that (the defense) works really well with her.”

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Dilworth, a Yale varsity lacrosse player from 1950-54, went on to start the men’s lacrosse team and was the head coach at Roxbury Latin School from 1960-72, then started the boys’ team at the Groton School in 1972. His knowledge of the game doesn’t stop with the goalies. During practice, he watches the entire team, making sure to give pointers when he deems it necessary.

“Warden can see you as a freshman goalie and know everything you are doing wrong,” said Woodson, one of the coach’s many admirers. “The great thing about him is that he says it with his quirky sense of humor, which makes it easy to hear and easy to learn. When I’m in games and during practice, I hear his voice over and over again and it really helps me to focus on all the little basics.

“When Warden pulls you aside, first saying, ‘you treasure,’ he continues with constructive criticism. The team would not be the same without our coaches at Yarmouth. Our team would never be capable of improving if we didn’t have Dorothy Holt, our head coach, and Jill Thomas and Cam Powell as our assistant coaches.”

“I love working with such a great group of young people and a nice coaching staff,” Dilworth said. “The girls work hard, are determined and enthusiastic and are really nice to coach. The defense and goaltending have improved this year. The girls double the ball in the midfield, slide and crash early and support each other on the field. I have loved being the caboose to such a wonderful group of girls and working with Dorothy.”

The most important part of having him on the team though, is that he is my grandfather. He provides support to every one of the girls, defense or attack, starting player or not. He wants to provide help and support. Constantly, the girls remind me what an active, sweet grandfather I have and all I can say is, “I know.”

I am extremely fortunate to have him live so close and be an active person in my life. I’m certainly happy he didn’t move to Florida for retirement.

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Longtime Yarmouth girls’ lacrosse goalie coach Warden Dilworth has earned the appreciation and admiration of, among others, this year’s starter, junior Carlie Woodson (right) and his granddaughter, Kate, a starting junior defender for the Clippers.


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