Joseph P. McNichol, 77, formerly of Mt. Airy, a football coach who had worked with several high school teams in the Philadelphia area, died Nov. 17 of cancer at his home in Lafayette Hill.
Mr. McNichol was probably best known for his years at Archbishop Carroll High School in Radnor, from 1969 to 1976, where he served as athletic director and head football coach. During this time he built one of the premier high school athletic programs in the Delaware Valley and fielded Philadelphia city championship football teams in 1971 and 1976.
He is remembered at the school as “the father of Archbishops Carroll football.”
Before retiring from coaching in 1991, he returned to La Salle College High School, his alma mater, serving as offensive coordinator for La Salle’s football team. He assisted coach Joe Colistra in winning the city championship in 1989.
He also had been head football coach at Atlantic City High School and freshman football coach at Bishop McDevitt High School in Wyncote.
Mr. McNichol mentored many all-league and all-city players, some of whom went on to establish their own successful coaching careers. He was elected to the Archbishop Carroll High School hall of fame, the La Salle College High School hall of fame, and the Delco Sports hall of fame.
Born in Germantown, he was raised in Mt. Airy and graduated from La Salle College High School and Villanova University.
He is survived by a son, Joseph P. McNichol III; a daughter, Shannon Grebe; brothers Thomas, Vincent, Stephen, David and Christopher; sisters Eleanor, Cecelia, Mary-Jo and Anne Marie; and five grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Kalin; brothers Michael and Kevin; and a sister, Kathleen.
A funeral Mass was celebrated Nov. 26 at St Phillip Neri Church in Lafayette Hill. – WF
