By
KINGSTON, Mass. -- As a player, coach, teacher, athletic director and, since 1983, a high school and college lacrosse official, Mary Lou Thimas has fashioned a career out of mentoring young people. And on the heels of being named the MIAA's Girls Lacrosse Official of the Year her induction into the Eastern Mass. chapter of the United States Lacrosse Hall of Fame, that hasn't changed.
Today, Thimas still draws her satisfaction from teaching others the sport she loves.
"It's just something I enjoy doing," she says. "Since I stopped teaching and coaching, this takes the place of that piece of my life. To see young officials learn the terminology and even, in some cases, become collegiate officials, is very rewarding."
A Plymouth native and a graduate of Plymouth-Carver High School, Thimas played lacrosse at Bridgewater State College, where she also served as the head women's coach in lacrosse (1982-87), field hockey (1979-87) and women's basketball (1978-80). Her coaching career began shortly after graduating from Bridgewater State in 1968 with stints as head girls basketball, tennis and field hockey at Marshfield High in the early 1970s.
She also served as senior assistant commissioner at the Eastern College Athletic Conference, director of athletics at Bridgewater State and taught physical education in the Marshfield and Quincy public school systems.
Basically, she has done it all on a high school and collegiate level, which makes her recent honors not the least bit surprising. Her upcoming Hall of Fame induction will be her fourth such honor; she is already in the Bridgewater State, Plymouth-Carver and New Agenda Halls of Fame.
"I started officiating field hockey during my sophomore year in college," says Thimas, who has resided in Kingston for 30 years. "I've worked NCAA Division 3 regional championship games, done D-1 lacrosse and I was a player for one year on the U.S. national lacrosse team. I've loved all my different roles, from coach, teacher, athletic director and official, in different ways."
Clearly, she still does. Thimas officiates six to seven games per week during lacrosse season.
"There aren't enough lacrosse officials, so when they call and ask if there is any way I can do a game, how can I say no?" she says.
What does it require to be a successful official? "You have to enjoy what you do, make sure you don't make it about you, try to be a role model, be professional in your appearance and learn how to deal with coaches, players and parents. That's it in a nutshell," she says.
Now past retired age, Thimas has no plans to slow down.
"I enjoy it and it's great exercise," she says. "I'm at a point in my life where I think I'd better not stop. My body is holding up and I have a great chiropractor. I'm able to stay up with the play and I'm usually in the right place at the right time. Part of that is experience because I'm able to anticipate better than younger officials."