Souderton’s players and coaches pay tribute to coach Tom Welch, who lost his battle with bone cancer on Feb. 20. Additional tributes will be added as they are received and can be sent to SuburbanOneSports@comcast.net.
This wasn’t the script the Souderton girls’ basketball team would have written for its season.
Granted, the players might have listed winning a playoff game as a goal, and they undoubtedly would have been happy to finish second to Continental Conference co-champions North Penn and Central Bucks West. A pair of wins over perennial power Central Bucks East also would have been high on the team’s wish list.
All of those things happened, and all of them were good.
On the opposite side of the ledger, discovering that their beloved assistant coach Tom Welch had been diagnosed with bone cancer on Jan. 14 was an unexpected and unwelcome blow. Still, the players and coaches were prepared to support and stand by Welch’s side for the long haul in his battle to beat the dreaded disease.
But there was no long haul.
Five days after the Indians celebrated their first district playoff win in coach Lynn Carroll’s nine-year tenure at the helm, the players were called out of class and asked to report to the office last Wednesday where they received the heartbreaking news that Welch had lost his courageous battle with cancer.
Just as the team provided support to Welch and his family during his final days, Welch’s family gave strength to the squad. The day of his death, they were in attendance at Wednesday night’s second round district game at North Penn, and his wife Sue spoke to the team in the postgame locker room after an inspired Indian squad battled the sixth-seeded Maidens for 32 minutes before falling 35-34.
“The girls sent constant e-mails – ‘Come on Tom, you can do it,’” Sue Welch said. “The girls almost became coaches for us, and it was heartbreaking for them because they were doing everything for Tom.
“They’re our family. Everyone is in upstate New York, so it was very difficult. They just meant an awful lot to us. They gave him the strength to battle through. He couldn’t have lasted as long he did without them.
“We love those girls. What’s so cool is the character that showed through in the letters they wrote and the faith of these girls in so much more than basketball.”
“For them to be as compassionate as they were at such a young age - it’s just a great group of girls,” Carroll added. “I’m very, very fortunate. It’s very, very clear. These kids come from good people.
“Somewhere in here, the timing is a blessing – that this (team) was able to be a bright spot for him and his family, and we are able to deal with this as a team.”
Welch’s obituary lists – among his survivors – ‘Beloved friends – Souderton High School Girls Basketball Coaches Lynn Carroll…Josh (Lauren) Klimovich…Ben Bowman…and his beloved Souderton Girls Basketball Team.’
“Tom loved those girls,” Sue Welch said. “I promised him that we would set up a scholarship for girls’ basketball. I promised him, ‘I will take care of your girls.’
Donations in Welch’s memory can be made payable to Souderton Girls Basketball Scholarship Fund, and checks can be mailed to Fox Chase Bank, 4390 Davisville Road, Hatboro PA 19040.
Below are tributes to coach Tom Welch. Additional tributes will be added as they are received.
I hadn't met Tom before we started coaching together nine years ago. When he was hired, his job title was ninth grade basketball coach. Somewhere along the way he became so much more than that. I don't remember ever having a specific conversation with him about what his role within our program would be, but over time, the responsibilities that he took on as his own seemed to never stop growing. Tom Welch was one of the most caring, thoughtful, selfless people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. He made putting others before himself seem so natural and easy. The overwhelming amount of emails and text messages that I have received over the last week from coaches, former players and parents is a true testament to the number of lives that were impacted by Tom Welch. What he did for this program over the last nine years will have a lasting impact for a very long time.
--Souderton coach Lynn Carroll
Of all the wonderful memories and experiences I had with Mr. Welch, I am most thankful to have learned from Tom what it truly means to be a father, friend, and teacher. Tom was the epitome of compassion, integrity, class, and selflessness. His kindness and generosity had no limits, but his greatest gift will be the fact that these traits will be carried on by the numerous lives he touched in life.
--Souderton assistant coach Josh Klimovich
Tom was the definition of a saint. Just being around him made me smile. He had a heart of gold and deeply will be missed.
--Souderton Assistant Coach Ben Bowman
Coach Welch was an all-around amazing man, but to us, this team, he was that... and so much more. When you look back in time at great accomplishments, goals, success, and people, you define their greatest moments…and Coach Welch had many. Although I’m just 17-years old, this man had such an amazing effect on me. From the minute I stepped foot in Souderton to the minute I stepped out of practice, the amount of support outweighed the amount of stress that I was feeling during my freshman and sophomore years. Coach Welch always had my back. Always. After I messed up in practice and turned the ball over too many times, missed almost every one of my shots, right down to going 1-for-10 from the line, he always made sure when walking out of that practice—I felt confident. I have never had that before. I never had a coach who consistently strived to lift me up when I was down or gave me caring, loving support throughout an entire season. He will always have a special place in my heart.
Wednesday, as a team, we found out that Coach Welch had passed away, and it will probably be one of the most memorable days in my entire life. The way that we came together as a team shows how much of an amazing man Coach Welch truly was. It put things into perspective, at least it did for me, that no matter what type of pain, stress that I was feeling at that single moment in time— it didn’t compare to the amount that Coach Welch or his wonderful family had to go through. Sue, his amazing, caring, beautiful wife as well as his daughter and the rest of his perfect family, supported us through thick and thin. Especially by showing up to our North Penn game later that night, which was amazing. We poured our hearts on that floor Wednesday night, dove for every loose ball, finished our shots, boxed out whoever was trying to get our rebounds. We poured our hearts on that floor—but in the end…we came up one point short. “A team that had something to play for is hard to beat, but a team that has somebody to play for is unstoppable.” We were unstoppable Wednesday night. We wanted to win that game more than anything for Mr. Welch, for Coach Welch, for his family. He loved this program, he loved Coach Carroll, Coach Bo, Coach K, he loved his players, Libby, Sarah, Allison, Courtney, Katie, Hannah, Devon, Noelle, Marissa, Jess, Hailey, Olivia, Nicole, Bella, Leena, Kristen, Krista, Renee, Mia, Cameron, all of you. I am blessed to have met this man… he has done so much for all of us. I will never forget pulling out the mats at practice for him to sit on, and I will never forget the last time that I saw him… I will never forget what he has done for this program, for these coaches, and for my teammates. I will never forget this season, I will never forget the day that he left us. I know that he will never forget each and every one of you. I will never forget this amazing man because I know that he will never forget me. Love you, Coach #TW
--Bianca Picard, SAHS Class of 2014
Point Guard/Shooting Guard 14'
One practice early in my sophomore year, I was shooting around and Mr. Welch quietly came up and started rebounding for me. I was shooting at the basket under the 1000-point scorers' banner. Mr. Welch said to me, "Someday you'll be up there, Libby," pointing at the banner. I smiled and told him that I hoped he was right. I will end my high school basketball career without reaching 1000 points and never getting my name on the banner, but it makes me smile to think that Mr. Welch had such faith in me and my ability. He was a man who clearly cared about his players on a deeper level. I could count on Mr. Welch asking me how I was doing every day. He wanted to see us all succeed and believed we would. I will never forget Mr. Welch, and we will always love him and miss him. His belief in me bolstered my belief in myself. That is what I will take with me throughout the rest of my life and that is Mr. Welch's legacy.
--Libby Wetzler, SASH Class of 2013
Mr. Welch was an amazing man. He was one of the kindest, sweetest people I have ever met, and he truly cared about each and every one of us. He always pushed me to focus and do the best I can. He was an inspiration to all of us.
--Olivia Kaunert, SAHS Class of 2016
Coach Welch and his family have truly blessed me and our basketball team. Coach Welch was my biggest encourager during my freshman year when I was having a tough time as the only freshman on the team. I can honestly say I wouldn't be who I am today without Coach Welch in my life, and I will miss him so much. The impact he had on my life is something I will never forget.
--Sarah Derstine, SASH Class of 2015
Coach Welch was the most amazing man I have ever had the privilege of getting to know. He was always supportive of every player, and he was there for me to pick up my head when I was down. I know that he always encouraged me to keep up the good work or let me know when I made a nice play. He gave me confidence and made me a better player. That's not all he did for me though. He taught me a lot off the court too. Coach Welch was never negative, ever. He always put others before himself, and he went out of his way to help out with everything. He loved being part of the team, but we loved having him as a coach even more. I hope one day I can be as supportive, sweet and become as big of an impact on someone's life as he was on each and everyone of his players, family members and every other person he came to know in his life.
--Allison Gallagher, SAHS Class of 2014
Although I only knew Coach Welch for a short amount of time, he definitely made the greatest impact on me as a basketball player. Coach would always encourage me to continue to try for the team when I thought I wouldn't make it. He always gave me tips to try and help me get better. Without Coach, I wouldn't have a basketball experience with Souderton High School, which has been one of the best basketball experiences of my life.
--Nicole Hersman, SAHS Class of 2016
Coach Welch was someone I could always count on. He always knew how to put a smile on my face both on and off of the court. I was thankful to call him my coach.
--Cameron Bergey, SAHS Class of 2016
If there's one thing I will always remember about Coach Welch it is his smile. That's probably because every time I saw him he always had one. His happiness was contagious, and his deep love for the team and the game was incredible. I will always remember him being the first one to give me a high five coming off the court, even if I was having an off game. I am so blessed that I got to spend three years with such an amazing man and his inspiring family. He had such an incredible impact on all the lives he touched, and he will always be remembered for doing so. Coach Welch will always be in our hearts.
--Katie O’Connor, SAHS Class of 2014
Coach Welch is the nicest man I have ever met in my entire life. He was the most supportive and encouraging person in and out of basketball. I will never forget the time that I was sick on the bench and Coach Welch gave me his jacket to stay warm. You will never be forgotten Coach Welch, we all love you so much.
--Hannah Bergey, SAHS Class of 2014
Coach Welch was the most compassionate and supportive coach I have ever had. He always had our backs. He would get out of his chair and scream at a ref if one of us got hit really bad, which was so out of character for such a quiet person. When I was injured, he would always want to know how the recovery was coming, and he always made sure I never rushed coming back or did anything stupid that would make the situation worse. Coach was always the first person you would see when you came into practice. He could always tell if you had a bad day, if you were sick, or if you were hurt in any way, and he did whatever he could to make it better. To say Coach Welch taught me a thing or two is an understatement. He taught me lessons that reach far beyond the basketball court. He saw leadership abilities in me that I didn't even see in myself. I don't know if it was intentional or not, but the letters TW on the back of our shirts are very significant to me. Coach always had our backs, and even though he is no longer with us, we know he is in a better place and that he will be there for us forever and always.
--Jess Kraus, SAHS Class of 2013
“A true test of strength. We worked hard to get in the position that we are in and lost a few close games, but now we know that there really is no other guarantee except for today. We need to capitalize because that’s what Mr. Welch would want us to do. He would want us to go out and play with all of our hearts. He wants us to play at our fullest. As a team, we also understand that we are as close to a family as you can get. We have had incredible highs and significant lows. The low times make us push through the practice or game ahead of us and it forces us to have each other’s backs...the high points on the other hand, only bring us even closer and instead of having to work really hard, it gives us some time to celebrate. In both the highs and the lows though, we reflect on what we could have done differently and any adjustments that we should make in preparation for another day or game, which we aren’t always blessed to receive. Every day is a gift."
I wrote that a week before Wednesday (Feb. 20). The night that I sent Mr. Welch a note to his room in the hospital, I had a million thoughts racing through my mind, so I decided to write them down. I was planning on reading it at the banquet when, or so I assumed, Mr. Welch would be healthy and present to hear it, but instead I read it the day we found out about his passing. Mr. Welch wanted nothing more than to see us smiling at practice or after a game. We as a team now have to keep each other smiling and working hard.
I have a many memories about Mr. Welch. The first one is that he was always the first person to ask how your day was going. I will never forget my freshman year when I heard him get angry. We were doing fullcourt layups on jayvee when he yelled at us for not hustling enough and not finishing. That was the only time I've ever heard him yell (which is pretty impressive because if I was the coach of a high school team I think I would yell a lot.) The next memory that I have is how Coach Bowman would always pull out mats for Mr. Welch to sit on because his arthritis was bad. The final, and definitely the funniest, memory I have of Mr. Welch is from when I was an incoming freshman, and he drove us to the Boys and Girls Club for conditioning and lifting. We had to have had six girls squished into one two-door car. We were laughing the whole time, amazed as to how we all fit in there and what would happen if we got pulled over.
Mr. Welch will forever be in my heart, and although he isn't physically with us at games or practices, we know that he is watching over us from above. He is still coaching us, but now he’s a little further away. Heaven got a very special angel on Wednesday. We love you Coach Welch.
--Courtney Day, SAHS Class of 2013
Over the past year, I had the pleasure to really get to know Mr. Welch. Playing for him in summer league and getting to know him over the past year through the Souderton basketball team has been one of the best parts of my freshman year. When you are together with your coaches and teammates every day, you become like a family. My greatest memory of Mr. Welch is that he always believed in me. He always gave me the confidence that I needed to keep working towards my goal of making the varsity team, and he was so happy to help me achieve that. In the short time that I have known him, he taught me so much about the game of basketball and the game of life, and I am so thankful for that. I am so blessed to have been a part of his life a part of his basketball family. You will be greatly missed Coach Welch! Rest in Peace.
--Marissa Sandone, SAHS Class of 2016
I remember Mr. Welch being at pretty much every practice and open gym, and I know it meant the world to him. He was always there for you when you needed help. He helped me with post moves and explained the plays when I was confused. He was always there to rebound the ball for you and to give you advice. He wasn’t my coach for long, but next year won’t be the same without him. I am so blessed to have known him and to have learned from him. I think we are all lucky to have Coach Welch watching over us.
--Mia Sherer, SAHS Class of 2016
Mr. Welch not only believed in me as a player but also as a person. He had so much faith in very single person in our program, and that is what made him such an amazing coach and an even better mentor. I wanted to play better to show him that he was right. I did have the ability to be the best because that is what he believed. When I tore my ACL, Mr. Welch was always by my side making sure I felt included either by rebounding my pathetic attempts at a shot or just making conversation with me. He knew that I would come back better than ever, and I can't wait to make him proud by proving his predictions right. We will always be playing for him, and I know that he will always be watching. We love you Mr. Welch, and you will always be in our hearts.
--Hailey Kaunert, SAHS Class of 2014
Coach Welch was the kindest man I have ever met, and I am so thankful to have had the privilege to play for him. There was one freshman game I remember where we were down by around 25 points at halftime, and he never gave up on us. He trusted us all that we would fix things and do our best to come back and win that game, which we ended up doing. The amount of confidence he had in all of the players was unbelievable, and he really helped us push ourselves to our full potentials. Whether you were a player of his, a student of his, or just a friend, everyone can agree he was the nicest man ever. Coach Welch would always put other people's needs before his own, and he did all he could to help people. He has brought so much to our team and to many other people in Souderton, and he will be greatly missed.
--Devon Boehm, SAHS Class of 2014
Even though I only knew Mr. Welch for a short time, our time together was unforgettable. Mr. Welch always had a smile on his face no matter what. He helped me progress not only as a player, but as a person. His dedication to the Souderton girls’ basketball team was like no other. I'll never forget the way he always used to give me pointers and help me when I was confused or needed help. Mr. Welch may have lost his battle to cancer, but he will always be in my heart no matter what. Even though I've only known Mr. Welch for a year, he has had such a great impact on me in that short time. I'm blessed to have gotten the opportunity to get to know such an amazing man, and he will be greatly missed by all.
--Krista Schneider, SAHS Class of 2016
Mr. Welch was the most genuine and whole-hearted person I have ever known. He had such a positive influence and lasting impression on my life. Despite being a soft-spoken man, I felt
that I could talk to Mr. Welch about anything. During my lunchtime, I would go to Mr. Welch’s room. We’d talk about school, basketball, life, and the list goes on. He gave his time and energy to our basketball team throughout the year. When we didn’t have our licenses yet, Mr. Welch would offer to go out and buy us dinner before practices or games. He was always there for our team and for me whether it was offering an ear to listen or offering inspiring words of encouragement. He was such a giving person, and I will always remember him as an honest, dedicated, and loving man. His generosity, kindness, and thoughtfulness are traits that I want to emulate in my personal and professional life.
--Ashley Sammaritano, SAHS Class of 2008
Mr. Welch was a loving, kind, generous man who could always cheer you up. When I say he was generous, I really mean what was his was ours too. My day wasn’t complete if I didn’t visit Mr. Welch’s classroom at least once a day. I would visit him before classes, at lunchtime and after school when we were in basketball season. On days when we would have late games or practices, Mr. Welch left his classroom open for us to have a basecamp after school. We could keep ourselves occupied with homework or getting something to eat after school without having to worry about where to keep our stuff or if it was safe. He also kept his closet stocked with snacks, one of the most memorable being rice krispie treats.
He cared about each and every one of us on the team. If he hadn’t seen one of the basketball players that day, he would ask other players, “Have you seen...? Are they okay?” When you were having a bad day, he was always there to listen and give advice. Besides being a great coach, he was a great person to be around. He was always positive and always had something good to say even in bad situations, such as after losing a game.
I always think of Mr. Welch whenever I drive by the basketball courts in Upper Gwynedd. The words summer league basketball and Mr. Welch were synonymous. I actually did my senior project with Mr. Welch coaching summer league basketball. It was a great experience, and you couldn’t ask for a better mentor. Even after I graduated from Souderton in 2009, I still made a point to try to make it to at least one summer league game to, of course, see Mr. Welch and see the future of Souderton’s basketball players.
Mr. Welch is truly one-of-a-kind and absolutely irreplaceable. I loved him, and I’m sure everyone who ever came in contact with him did as well. He will be missed, but his memory will live on in the Souderton Basketball Program.
--Jules Connelly, SAHS Class of 2009
This week, the world lost an amazing man, teacher, coach and friend. Mr. Welch was truly the most kind, incredible man I have ever had to pleasure to be around. He always went out of his way to make everyone happy. When I transferred from LC back to Souderton, Mr. Welch welcomed me with open arms. He did everything possible to make sure I had a smooth transition in school and with my new teammates. Watching movies in his classroom during lunch was always the highlight of my day. Mr. Welch had a special way of showing just how much he truly cared about his players and students. For me, it was having his wife prepare a special batch of guacamole dip because he knew hers was my all-time favorite. That was just the kind of man he was. Mr. Welch, you have touched my life in a way that I will forever be grateful. You will never, ever be forgotten. Heaven gained another blessing on Feb 21st, and I gained another guardian angel. Thank you for watching over us from the very best seats in the house. May you rest in eternal peace. I love you Mr. Welch.
--Brittany Sandone, SASH Class of 2010
Coach Welch always had a smile on his face when we walked in the gym, especially my freshman year when we were still practicing at Indian Crest. That, by far, was my favorite season I ever participated in. Having only eight girls and going undefeated, I don't think it could have gotten any better. Coach Welch made that season great. He was always available to give you advice, and I went to him a lot that season. If I ever needed anything: pointers, answers, a laugh, he was the person that was able to provide that to me. We were always on the same page. Our thoughts about the game just clicked! During a timeout or a foul shot, I would talk to him, and we would discuss things about the game. He would tell me what he was seeing on the sideline, and I would tell him what I was seeing being on the court. I never had an argument with Coach Welch, and I don't ever remember disagreeing with him. He was so passionate about the game of basketball and that is something that we shared. I remember one time in particular, we were playing at Gwynedd Mercy my freshman year. We were pressing, and I took a charge attempt right in front of him, but it was called a block. He just looked at me and said, "That was a charge, good take." From then on, I wasn't afraid to fall on the ground. Charge attempts were my thing! Coach Welch was a great man, and he had such an impact on my basketball career and my life. I will never forget him and he will have a place in my heart forever.
--Cait Steinly, SAHS Class of 2012
Coach Welch was unlike any person I have ever met. He was so genuine and truly cared about each and every one of us, to the point where he put us before himself. His love for the game of basketball and for our team was beyond inspiring. He always went above and beyond for our team, doing things that he didn’t have to do but did just because that’s the kind of person he was, and that is something I always admired about him. Coach Welch will forever be a part of the Souderton Girls Basketball Program, and he will be missed greatly.
--Gabby McAndrews, SAHS Class of 2012
On and off the court Coach Welch was one of the nicest men I have ever met and always went out of his way to encourage me to keep my head up. A funny memory is that I could always tell what kind of talk we were gonna get from our head coach during halftime by Welch's facial expression when he walked in the locker room. He always was smiling, so I knew it was gonna be a bad talk when Welch walked in with a serious face on. Even when I didn't play basketball my senior year, he made me feel like I was still part of the team, which I appreciated so much!
--Erin Reagan, SAHS Class of 2012
Mr. Welch was a very nice man. He always was thinking of others before himself. Having Mr. Welch as my coach was truly an honor. I am so lucky that he is a part of my high school basketball memories.
--Liz Mower, SAHS Class of 2012
Coach Welch is the best coach a girl could ever ask for. I was lucky enough to play for him my freshman year in 2008. He wasn’t just my coach, but one of my closest friends on the team. Coach always put us before his own needs. He is someone you will only meet once in a lifetime. He truly taught me the greatest gift in life, and that is to always believe in yourself even when the odds are against you. I am so grateful to have known such a kindhearted man like him.
--Nicole Perna, SAHS Class of 2011
Coach Welch was unlike any coach I’ve ever played for. He was patient, always encouraging and truly cared about each of his players. He coached us year round, dedicating time and energy to an age group that is often difficult to get through to. He brought out the best in us because he was the best. He always went the extra mile, whether it was bringing us water and snacks or just sharing his smile. He was the kindest man and a wonderful mentor. You are missed and always in our hearts.
--Hannah Reagan, SAHS Class of 2010
Mr. Welch was a very kind and encouraging man. During my freshman year, as a coach he was motivational and made me feel welcome. One thing that I will always remember about Mr. Welch is that it was not always about basketball with him, he would often ask you at practice just how your life in general was going. He was a very caring man and the team and I are going to miss him so much.
--Renay Landis, SAHS Class of 2015
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