“When I was coaching at Northeastern,’’ as offensive coordinator under Barry Gallup, he said, “I got to know the city and high school coaches real well.’’
Brighton High coach Timo Philip asked Lamb to come to practice.
“He’d say, ‘What do you think of this?’ I was hanging around sticking my nose in somewhere,’’ said Lamb.
He began attending practices at Brighton, English High, and other schools in the city, asking the head coaches whether there was anything he could do to help. Carry water. Tape ankles. Paint the goal posts.
Lamb was a little uncomfortable at first. “I felt I was in the way more than I was helping,’’ he said.
And being an itinerant adviser frustrated him. He would be helping a player one day, then be at a different school the next. He thought it would be better to stay at one school and work with the same players consistently.
“After 40 years in coaching, I felt I could watch practice’’ and help a team, he said, “because it’s day in, day out.’’ A member of the Massachusetts High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame, he compiled a 248-65-2 mark at Natick and Norwood, winning four Super Bowls.
He told Ken Still, the athletic director of Boston’s public high schools, “if anyone needs help, anywhere, let me know.’’
And that’s how Lamb became an assistant at English High in Jamaica Plain.
“I’ve known Tom since he was at Natick the first time,’’ said Still. “He just said, ‘I’m here to help any way I can.’ There’s a kindness about him.’’
Lamb also is acquainted with Chris Boswell, in his second year as English’s head football coach.
Fielding just 14 players, English was winless last season, and did not score an offensive touchdown.
“We’re in the twenties now,’’ said Lamb, who works mainly with the offense. Boswell sent out 300 postcards encouraging students to come out for the team.
Lamb pointed out that “the kids have a really big challenge’’ just structuring their day in order to play football.
