Leahy takes over as East Longmeadow girls basketball coach
Oct. 29,
2012 |
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By Chris Maza
chrism@thereminder.com
EAST LONGMEADOW — Hoping to build upon its success of recent years, the East Longmeadow High School turned to someone who had helped in achieving that success when faced with a vacancy at head coach for the Spartans girls basketball team.
Maureen Leahy, the former Minnechaug Regional High School basketball star and former captain of the Boston College women's basketball team, who had been serving as an assistant, has taken the reins relinquished by former coach Erik Maurer, who took over the head job at Central High School in Springfield.
Leahy was part of the Minnechaug teams that collected four Division I Western Massachusetts titles and three state championships in four years.
In 2010, East Longmeadow was also a state runner-up. She played four years at Boston College, then upon graduation took a job as an assistant coach at Newton South High School.
After a year with Newton South, Leahy took the opportunity to play basketball overseas in Waterford, Ireland where she also ran clinics and coached youth teams.
Upon returning to the United States, Leahy took the head coaching job at Wilbraham & Monson Academy and served as a paraprofessional in the East Longmeadow School District while completing her graduate studies.
She was then hired as a full-time teacher by East Longmeadow and took a position as the team's assistant coach.
Leahy has some big shoes to fill as Maurer had led the Spartans to two MIAA Western Massachusetts Division I championships in 2009 and 2010.
Leahy, who was on the bench for those playoff runs, said that having the opportunity to work with Maurer has expanded her vision when it comes to coaching.
"Coaching with Erik taught me a lot about thinking outside the box," she said. "I tend to be more rigid in my thinking of developing set plays and defenses, running practices, drills, etc. Erik is very creative and motivating coach and I think this has been a huge component of the success in the program."
As someone who played at a high level in Division I high school basketball, Leahy said she believes she can provide added perspective to the position that will be beneficial to her players.
"I have very fond memories of my high school basketball experience. Those four years make up some of the best athletic experiences to date. I think my time as a high school player, playing on a competitive team continues to guide me as a coach," she said. "I was a typical teenager struggling with time management, pressure, expectations, etc. I had big hopes and dreams for myself as a player. I was in need of guidance on and off the court and that is what I enjoy most about being a high school coach now."
Leahy will return several members of last year's team, including three starters, and acknowledged that in some ways, that continuity and familiarity will be a benefit during the team's transition.
"I am fortunate that I have developed relationships with the players already," she said. "But, my role as a head coach will change the nature of those relationships somewhat."
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