Ryan Wen ’27
Kyle Zhang ’27
Will Patterson ’27
In 1986, Microsoft’s Windows 1.0, the first ever edition of the operating system, had only been out for 1 year. The same year, Mikabel Gorbachev, the Soviet Union’s last General Secretary, had just taken office. Much has changed in the 40 intervening years between 1986 and 2025, yet one thing has remained constant: Mr. Farrell’s presence at the Episcopal Academy. Whether as a geometry teacher, cross country head coach, or assistant athletic director, Farrell has been a cornerstone of the EA community. His humility, positivity, and ceaseless dedication to this school have impacted the lives of countless EA students and athletes and have instilled lessons that continue to reverberate long after his students graduate.
EA distance running.
Photo Courtesy of Matthew Davis
Before Farrell ’82 ever coached a team at EA, however, he was an extremely talented athlete for EA’s football, basketball, and baseball teams. Before he graduated, he was all-Interac in all three sports, and in 2006 was inducted into the Episcopal Academy Athletic Hall of Fame.
After earning his degree at Muhlenberg College—and later obtaining his Master’s Degree at Temple University—Farrell returned to EA as a math teacher in 1986. In 2001, he began his first-ever season coaching the boys’ cross country team. Since then, he has created one of the most successful programs at EA. Under his tenure as head coach, the XC team has a total of 7 Inter-ac wins, 3 PAISAA wins, and 21 EA-HAV day wins, with a current streak of 6 consecutive Inter-ac victories. The growing dominance of the program culminated in 2022, when Farrell’s varsity squad became the first team in EA history to qualify for the illustrious Nike Cross Country Nationals. On the track, Farrell has coached state champions in nearly every distance event and has produced national champions in relay events such as the Distance Medley Relay. He has trained numerous D1 talents, coaching athletes who have moved on to compete at schools such as the University of Colorado and Dartmouth College.
However, what makes Farrell unique isn’t the incredible success his teams have enjoyed- far from it. What makes Farrell special, what makes him remarkable to colleagues, athletes, and students alike, is the example he sets for those around him every day and the insights he imparts to them. As Aiden Mchugh ’23, a current runner for Boston College, says, “ He’s just a great person. He has taught me how to be a better person, how to work hard, how to respect other people, and how to be professional… I have the utmost respect and gratitude for [Farrell] and will always have a place in my heart for him … I am not the person I am today without him.” Ethan Zhou ’25 echoes these same sentiments, saying, “[His] influence definitely left me with a strong sense of discipline and lack of complacency outside of just cross country. He always pushed me to be my best and made me feel so welcome on a great team. That was definitely the best part of my time at EA.” Dakin Ebemeyer ’23, who runs for Colgate University, adds, “He’s an unbelievable person, and he means so much to me. I wouldn’t be the person I am without him.”
Current distance runners likewise cherish all that Farrell has done for them. Michael Chadwick ’26 highlights how Farrell has taught his runners to fully embrace the daily grind of distance running. “Beyond training day in and day out as an athlete, he’s
helped me and countless others realize just what kind of things we can achieve, and the consistent effort and grit it requires to be successful on and off the course. Every day [he] imparts a boundless love for running, raising generations of talented athletes, students, and remarkable individuals who can live life to the fullest.” For Jack Desilets ’27, it was his Costa Rica May Term Trip with Farrell that made him realize the type of role model Farrell is. “That trip taught me a lot about Mr. Farrell and reinforced things that I already knew. It showed how much he cares about his runners from top to bottom. When we went on the trip, I wasn’t anywhere near the top of the team, but he cared about me like I was. Some coaches will only care about the top runners, but not Mr. Farrell.”
Farrell has garnered similar admiration from his colleagues. Reverend Michael Palmissano, middle school chaplain and an assistant coach of the boys cross country team, remembers an example of Mr. Farrell’s sense of integrity from the 2023 Paul Short Invitational Race: “It was just kind of rainy and gross… we had an hour drive [home], we could have just hustled out of there and left. We got our awards… there were still a number to be handed out, and other teams were getting ready to leave, and I remember thinking the same thing… But Coach Farrell said, ‘Let’s stay. I don’t want this to seem transactional.’ The easy thing would be to leave… he’s always about doing the right thing, even when no one’s watching.” Matthew Davis, another assistant coach, remarks, “He’s one of the most dedicated teachers to the academy…he cares so much about the team culture and really works hard to protect the team culture…we never want other teams to have a bad day, we want to beat them at their best, so he always cheers for everybody.” Thomas Goebeler, fellow math teacher at EA, says, “The best professional development I ever had was talking to Jimmy on a bus ride to professional development… He was the cavalry. I was feeling low about doing proofs, and he waxed poetic about the importance of doing proofs in a geometry course. The great thing is he’s willing to let natural pauses enter the conversation, so he said things, and then he paused, and it just washed over and through me. It just meant so much to me. Even at my age, I need someone to look up to. I look up to him. He is one of the finest men I know.”
As good of a math teacher as Farrell is, as successful a coach as he has been, his lasting legacy will not primarily consist of either of these factors. Instead, Farrell is distinguished by his character; he is distinguished by the passion that he brings to each and every one of his pursuits, the optimism he has regardless of the circumstance, and the care he shows to everyone in the EA community. Whether it’s teaching math during the school day, coaching his runners on early Saturday mornings, or a passing interaction in the halls, not a day goes by that Farrell’s presence is not felt on campus. Even after 40 years at the academy, that wry smile still hasn’t changed.
Mr. Farrell, thank you so much for 40 fabulous years at EA.
