LAX COACH SAYS NOTRE DAME PREP HAS BEEN 'TRANSFORMATIONAL'

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April 24, 2024

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here. 

Boys lacrosse coach finds his home at NDP and has the surging top 10-ranked Irish making waves around the state.

When Roger Soulliere signed on to coach boys lacrosse at Notre Dame Prep in 2022, the program was in need of a little more stability as the Irish had experienced more than a few coaching changes in recent years. Now in his third season at NDP, Soulliere and the surging 7-1 Irish are looking forward to an epic matchup on Thursday when Warren De La Salle visits. 

"De La Salle will be a huge game for many reasons," said the coach, who earned All State honors in high school at Utica Eisenhower. "Not only because they are one of our rivals, but I previously helped coach there when I first got into coaching."

In addition, according to Soulliere, Mike Jolly, who started the lacrosse program at DLS decades ago, joined NDP's staff this year and it will be the first game against his long-time school. On top of that, two of Soulliere's assistant coaches are brothers Andrew and Matthew Ferrari, whose father, Chris Ferrari, is the head coach at DLS now. 

The Irish team currently is on a six-game winning streak and is ranked in the top 5 in division 2 and in the top 10 in the state overall. The latest win was last week over Port Huron United, which also is ranked in the state's top 20.

"After De La Salle, we finish the year with two of the top 10 teams in the state, Rockford and Forest Hills Eastern on our annual trip outstate, which this year will be in Grand Rapids," Soulliere said. "Last year, we took the team to Traverse City and Petoskey, which was a very memorable trip for the boys."

Day job in clinical research

Soulliere is a graduate of Grand Valley State University where he played lacrosse as a three-year starter and was named to the CCLA All-Conference and MCLA All-Academic teams. He also holds a master's degree in public health from Wayne State University.

A resident of Clinton Township where he lives with his wife, Caroline, and their 19-month-old son, Sonny, Soulliere works in infectious disease and respiratory clinical research for Wilmington, North Carolina-based PPD (Pharmaceutical Product Development).

He says he's certain he's found his coaching home at NDP.

"I knew that when I spoke to Aaron [Crouse] and Betty [Wroubel] at my interview about what NDP stands for and their mission, I knew it was the right choice for me," he said. "It aligned perfectly with what I wanted and I knew the caliber of NDP students is second to none. I was looking for somewhere I could be for years to come and really make a difference in young men's lives. Plus, I was searching for a transformational experience when I previously was getting only transactional ones. So I am so glad I made this choice." 

Besides De La Salle, Soulliere's coaching experience includes a stint at Detroit Country Day School, and he served as travel coach for Grosse Pointe, Mich.-based 313/GP Lacrosse.

Why NDP is unique and a Harper Woods Notre Dame connection

Soulliere is unequivocal about what makes Notre Dame Prep so different from other coaching jobs he's had.

"What is unique about NDP and coaching here is the real commitment to being upstanding citizens and moral Christians, even when it's difficult and everyone else is taking the easy road," he said. "There are many ways to bend the rules with high school athletics and I really appreciate how everyone from the athletic department on down to the players don't ever take the easy way out. 

"The whole school has welcomed me and my family with open arms and that means the world to me. Our team truly embraces the ideals of outworking everyone else, treating everyone around you as family, and constantly improving. I am so proud to be the coach of this program."

In a sidebar to this story, Soulliere mentions that his father in law, Don Brosky, graduated from Notre Dame High School in Harper Woods in 1979.

"He was a standout athlete there and I'm pretty sure he was inducted into the school's wall of fame for football in 1979," he said. "He also went on to play at Wayne State University on scholarship for two years years. Following in his footprints is a great honor for me and I hope to leave a legacy at NDP like he did at ND."

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here.

Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org

About Notre Dame Preparatory School
"At Notre Dame Prep, we inspire our students to become the best versions of themselves. We challenge them through an experience of academic excellence, focused on active, project-based learning. We invite them to explore a world of opportunities beyond the classroom. We guide them as they grow in spirituality within a community strong in its Catholic and Marist identity."

Notre Dame Preparatory School is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. Notre Dame Preparatory School's upper school enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame Prep's middle and lower schools enroll students in pre-kindergarten through grade eight. All three schools are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDP is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the National Association of Independent Schools. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School, visit the school’s home page at www.ndpma.org.