By Tony Ferullo
Office of Public Affairs

Heads or tails.

That’s what it came down to when Ed Leyden was given the choice to become the coach of the girls’ varsity basketball team or the boys’ jayvee squad at Revere High School 25 years ago.

“I flipped a coin to make my decision,” says Leyden with a chuckle. “Whatever came up, that’s where I was going.”

From that humble beginning, Leyden has made quite a name for himself in the coaching profession. At Revere High, his teams were 84-36 (a .700 winning percentage). His teams won the Greater Boston League title his last three seasons, going 44-1 during that time. Leyden was selected Coach of the Year twice by the Massachusetts Basketball Coaches Association, and he was also named Coach of the Year by The Boston Globe. Ten of his former high school players were named captains of their college teams.

When Leyden took over the Suffolk women’s basketball program in 1994, he faced a challenging task, similar to Gene Hackman in the classic movie Hoosiers. The Lady Rams had an overall record of 85 wins and 201 losses in the previous 14 seasons.

Building a foundation based on discipline, team work and fundamentals, Leyden has impressively guided the Suffolk women’s basketball program to an average of 15 wins each season since his arrival. His 1999 team holds the school record for most wins in a season with 19, and his 2000 squad won the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) title. Furthermore, the Lady Rams were ranked in the Top 20 in team defense by the NCAA in 2003 and 2005.

“My job is to be fair and do what’s best for the University and the team,” says Leyden, who has been named GNAC Coach of the Year four times (1997, 1998, 2000 and 2008). “Division III women’s basketball is very competitive and we play to win. Each
student-athlete on the team has a role that she is expected to fulfill to the best of her ability. We try and create an environment where the players work hard, play smart and have fun.”

Clearly not one who craves the spotlight, Leyden is quick to applaud his coaching staff –
Caitlin O’Loughlin, Shannon Kirwan and Barry Kipnes – for the team’s success over the years. “I’ve made it a point to surround myself with good people,” notes Leyden, 59, of North Reading. “I give a lot of credit to my assistant coaches for the energy and chemistry they provide in making our system work.”

While Leyden insists that his players reach their potential on the court, he also demands that they excel in the classroom. In 2001 and 2003, Suffolk was ranked among the Top 25 Division III academic teams in the country by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. “The prestige of the University and the quality of education is what attracts
the student athletes to come here,” says Leyden. “You can also add Boston and everything that the city has to offer.”

A tireless worker, Leyden spends almost every weekend from April through August on the recruiting trail. He attends camps and AAU tournaments primarily in the Northeast area, searching for that perfect player known for her ppg (points per game) as well as her GPA. No matter where he is, he carries himself with class and dignity – an ideal role model in short pants and sneakers.

"Ed Leyden has raised the level of accomplishment of Suffolk University women's basketball in a manner that distinguishes himself as one of the premier coaches in New England, while simultaneously elevating the performance of our women’s basketball team as a recognized post-season tournament selection,” says Suffolk’s Director of Athletics Jim Nelson. “His quiet on court demeanor belies a fiery competitiveness within that provides reasoned motivation to his players and envied admiration from his coaching colleagues."

In 2003, the Lady Rams were the first Suffolk team to play outside the United States,
competing in the Sunshine Tournament in the Bahamas. Since that time, the team has traveled far away from the Regan Gym every two years during the holiday break. This year, the Lady Rams (5-4 entering the new year) played two games in Santa Barbara, California.

“Traveling across the country helps to bring a team closer together,” says Leyden. “It’s a great experience to visit new places and win games on the national level.”

Leyden was a math teacher at Revere High for 37 years before retiring in 2007. In addition to his coaching duties, he is now an assistant to the Director of Athletics at Suffolk. While it has been a long time since that coin flip and his coaching debut, he continues to be passionate about the game he loves.

“I’m not a well-balanced person,” laughs Ed Leyden. “I’m a basketball lifer – 365, 24-7.
Coaching basketball is what I enjoy. It makes me happy.”