Coming off a very successful season with a huge win in the NEPSAC John Mackay Bowl, the Varsity Football team had to find a new coach due to English Faculty and Head Coach Mike Curran’s departure. Jim O’Leary, an accomplished coach who has been at Governor’s Academy for the last 14 years, will be taking the helm. O’Leary played football throughout his childhood, starting at Salem High School and then walking on to the team at Northeastern University, where he became the starting quarterback. His coaching career began at Triton Regional High School before going to Governor’s, where he spent one year as an assistant coach and the last 14 years as head coach. Some of his notable results at Governor’s include winning over 70% of his games, five ISL titles, and making six NEPSAC bowl games. He said, “I think the biggest accomplishment was being a positive influence on my players and guiding them in the right direction towards their goals.”
O’Leary says that he saw the Nobles coaching job as a great fit and was reassured after spending the day on campus. “[Director of Athletics Alex Gallagher (N ’90)] made me feel very wanted, and I thought it would be a perfect fit. I’ve always admired the teams that Nobles has produced throughout the years,” O’Leary said. When asked what he wants the community to know about him, he said, “I want the community to know that I’ll be giving 100% to my role as the head football coach. I will do everything I can for my players to help them achieve their goals. My teams will be prepared, and we will always fight until the end and make Nobles proud of them.”
Gallagher said that the football coach search was completed quickly after Curran’s decision, in order to provide stability and clarity for both current and incoming team members. He was able to announce O’Leary’s hiring on the day Curran told the team about his decision. Gallagher said, “We’ve brought somebody in with a really long track record of tremendous football coaching, a person who really understands ISL and NEPSAC football, a guy who understands the opponents that we face on a day to day basis and the challenges that any high school football program and prep schools are dealing with right now.”
“I want the community to know that I’ll be giving 100% to my role as the head football coach. I will do
everything I can for my players to
help them achieve their goals.”
O’Leary is not the only new head coach hire. For Boys Varsity Hockey, Assistant Coach and Nobles graduate Dan McGoff (N ’04) will be taking over with current Head Coach and History and Social Science Faculty Brian Day stepping down. McGoff has been an assistant coach at Nobles for the last 12 years, following his own successful hockey career. He played for Nobles from 2000 to 2004, for U.S. national junior teams in their summer tournaments in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, and for Boston University. He then played for professional teams in the U.S., the Netherlands, and Scotland, including a championship in the Netherlands.
McGoff saw accepting the opportunity as an easy decision after his great experience playing and coaching at Nobles. He said, “I have been an assistant here for the last 12 years, and I just really enjoy being around the kids and playing in such a competitive league. It was a no-brainer for me when the position became available.” He describes his coaching style as more laid back and focused on culture. He said, “I am not a yeller by nature, but I just want our kids to play fast and free and just be the most authentic person they can be. I want our kids to play the right way by doing the unselfish things and playing in all three zones. I pride myself on relationships, and I want to be able to continue to build great relationships with our kids on and off the ice.” Additionally, he will be helping out with Strength and Conditioning in the fall and Boys Junior Varsity Lacrosse in the spring.
“I pride myself on relationships, and I want to be able to continue to build great relationships with
our kids on and off the ice.”
The coaching search began in the middle of the season following Day’s announcement, receiving significant interest from high school as well as professional junior hockey coaches. According to Gallagher, they ended up with three finalists who were all connected to Nobles in some way, and McGoff was selected. Gallagher said of McGoff, “He has been a really beloved member of the staff, along with Mr. Spence and Mr. Day, for that decade plus that he’s been with us. I was really blessed to work and live with Danny in the dorm back when he was a student here. He’s a really special person, really down to earth, incredibly hard working, really loves Nobles and the hockey program, and wants to do right by the legacy that Coach Day has left and build it forward.”
Next fall and winter, Coaches O’Leary and McGoff will usher in a new era for their respective teams, each looking to continue their success and develop a meaningful culture.
