After four seasons, Dave Leahy has stepped down as the Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ soccer head coach.
A challenge.
That’s what Dave Leahy was looking for — and had — when he took over the Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ soccer team back in 2017.
Leahy inherited a team that won just one game the previous season, hadn’t been to the tournament in three years and plays in one of the toughest leagues in the state, to boot.
“My goal for the program was to make them believe they could be winners, by putting in the hard work, believing in the results and playing together,” he said.
His message resonated. The Panthers made the postseason in Year No. 1 and went on to two times in his first three years.
But after a four-year run at W-H, which saw the program finish about .500 twice, Leahy has resigned due to work commitments.
“I’m very proud of what the team was able to do during my four years at W-H,” Leahy said. “In three out of the four years we were a playoff-quality team. Every year we had a member of the team graduate and go to play soccer in college, including two that will play this fall. As a team, we started to believe we could defeat the perennial power houses in our difficult league.”
And as a team, W-H kept it positive on the pitch.
“We were good sportsman in my four years, never getting a red card and getting few yellow cards over that time,” Leahy said. “Our style of soccer became very fun to watch overall.”
Leahy said it was a difficult decision to step down.
“It was very hard,” he said. “I really enjoyed being a Panther. Plus, the current team is ready to have a very strong year, and more importantly they are a great group. I wanted to be there to help lead them in any way I could.”
What’s Leahy most proud of accomplishing during his tenure at W-H?
“I’m most proud that opponents and observers of the team respect us now,” he said. “Every team knew they had to play their best, or we were going to come away happy if they didn’t.”
Leahy said he enjoyed his time on the Panthers’ sideline.
“It was a pleasure coaching at W-H,” Leahy said. “I got to coach some incredible young men. Everything wasn’t always easy, as most high school coaches and teachers find in our current times, but the positives were so much greater than the negatives. I hope for nothing but the best for the players I’ve coached at W-H and good luck to ones I didn’t get a chance to coach.”