Coming Full Circle: Julian Domenech’s Journey Home

7/28/2025

For Julian Domenech ’84, Severn School is more than his alma mater. It’s home.

His lifelong connection to the school began in childhood as the son of an Upper School teacher and was solidified when he himself became an Admiral in the seventh grade. But Julian’s graduation in 1984 turned out not to be the end of his Severn story but rather the beginning. Because 24 years later, he returned to his roots—and eventually to his former family home—not as a gesture to the past, but to forge a meaningful path forward doing work that feels right within a community that never stopped feeling like home.

Growing Up at Severn

Julian Domenech, Sr., joined Severn in 1967, teaching Latin in his first year, before becoming chair of the Foreign Language department. His Severn career spanned 27 years, and, in that time, he ran summer camps and after-school programs, he coached, and he held leadership roles, including Upper School head and assistant head of school. And he always taught. “I am proud to say that during my time at Severn School, no matter how many jobs I had, I was always in the classroom teaching,” he said.

It was at the elder Domenech’s insistence that the family moved onto campus early in his career. “I literally grew up here on this campus since I was three years old,” said Julian, who, upon getting the offer from Severn, followed his father’s example and requested campus housing.

“This job is so all-encompassing, and you have to know what’s going on,” he said. “It’s how I remember growing up. My dad, who was very involved, would leave for an hour on a Sunday because there was something going on. Being able to walk there and back makes a big difference.”

After his high school graduation in 1984, Julian ventured away from Severn, settling into coaching and administration roles after obtaining his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Pfeiffer University. At age 23, he became the youngest college coach in the country, leading the boys soccer team at Pfeiffer. After stepping away to pursue other interests for several years, Julian returned to the university, this time as the head women’s lacrosse coach and eventually as an athletics administrator. He got married and started a family of his own. With three growing boys, a fulfilling career, and a welcoming community, he was happy.

But life is full of surprises.

An Unexpected Development

Julian wasn’t expecting the phone call he received in March 2008. Severn needed a new athletic director. Two Severn alumni on the board, both friends of Julian’s, reached out to gauge his interest. While the opportunity was intriguing, he didn’t rush to pursue it. Despite his enduring affection for the school, going back was never the plan.

“I loved where I was,” he said simply. But a subsequent conversation with Head of School Doug Lagarde convinced him to at least consider the post. He hopped on a plane to Maryland for a tour and interview. “I wasn’t sure if I even wanted the job, but the chance to go back to my alma mater, get dinner with friends, and spend a whole day seeing what my old high school is like was too good to pass up,” he said with a laugh.

But what he thought might be just a trip down memory lane instead planted a seed. He found himself getting excited about both a new job and returning to the place that was so impactful during his formative years. “What stuck out during my tour was that it was just how I remembered it,” he said. “I don’t know that I would call myself a big mission guy, but I know what it means to be known and valued as a student. And I got that feeling halfway through the day, that Severn was still that place.”

After going home and talking it over with Erin, his wife, and now a physical education teacher in the Lower School and the coach of the swimming team, the decision was made. The second generation of Domenechs was Severn-bound.

Now, nearly 20 years into his second act at Severn, he has come full circle, leading the athletics program that was integral to his teenage years, while living in a renovated version of the same house he lived in when he was in high school.

Making the Right Changes

Under his leadership, the Athletic Department now manages about 650 contests a year, between Middle School and Upper School sports. About five years into his tenure, Severn added a wrestling program, and most recently, girls volleyball was added to the lineup. Middle School now competes in baseball. Severn also has strong JV teams supporting nearly every varsity sport.

“What I’ve tried to do is listen to others and as times have changed, we change with them, while always asking ‘What fits Severn?’” he said. Whether that’s the sports offered, practice times, finding better competition and training venues, or prioritizing mental health, what’s most important to Julian is the ability to adapt and meet the needs of today’s student athletes.

That includes making the right moves for Severn to remain competitive. “I want us to be able to compete,” said Julian. “Being competitive doesn’t always mean you win the championship. It means we add a little of this or that so we can play at a high level and then when we do have that run, we’re in a position to compete for the title.”

That strategy and focus have paid dividends in recent years, with championship titles in boys basketball and soccer, sailing, and swimming, and numerous teams making playoff runs. For that, he is quick to credit Severn’s dedicated coaches. “We continue to be in the mix in many different sports because we have great coaches who get Severn,” he said.

Known and Valued

Even after 17 years, staying energized is easy. “My favorite part of the day is from 2:30 to 6:30 because that’s when I’m around the kids and really get to know them,” he said. “When you go to practices and games, you get to know their personalities and you have these moments of connection.”

For Julian, creating those moments is simple. It all goes back to one core idea: known and valued. And putting in the time early on makes the inevitable tough conversations a little easier. “Students need to know that you have their best interest at heart, so it’s important that I’m not just being an administrator all the time,” he said. “Then when something needs to be addressed, they know that it’s done with love.”

Getting there requires going beyond the obvious—something he encourages all coaches to do. “Take a really good soccer player—we know that’s his thing. But what else do we know about him and where he comes from? What excites him outside of soccer?”

Understanding that and then showing up for students off the playing field makes a difference—something Julian experienced firsthand. “I was very appreciative of adults at Severn knowing me outside of soccer, which was my calling card as a student,” he said. “People knew other things about me and that meant a lot to me. We also want to see all aspects of the kids, not just what happens on game day,” said Julian.

“I Don’t Want It to End”

Despite leading Severn through more than 50 seasons, Julian still feels he’s capable of going 100 mph. “It’s been a great experience, and I don’t want it to end,” he said.

Julian returned to Severn unexpectedly, but in doing so, he’s regained a community that has fully embraced his entire family. It doesn’t hurt that he wakes up in his former home and walks across the street to start his day. Or that two of his sons, Zach ’14 and Kain ’19, are Severn alums, and the third, Colin, is perhaps the Admirals’ biggest fan.

As for his legacy, he remains humble. “I hope that Severn athletics is in a better place than when I walked in, and I don’t think that’s all about winning and losing. It’s about our structure, our communication, our facilities. I also hope people see that we have great kids who understand the bigger picture, and that they’re supported by great coaches who believe in our programs and the value of Severn as a whole.”

This story originally appeared in the Spring 2025 issue of The Bridge - click here to see the digital version.

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