Ramapo’s Heenehan says farewell after 39 seasons by Greg Mattura of The Record
Paul Heenehan, among the most successful girls soccer coaches in New Jersey history, is retiring from Ramapo.
“I met with my players today and told them I was stepping down as coach,” Heenehan told The Record Wednesday night.
Heenehan led Ramapo to 13 state titles and 12 Bergen County crowns over 39 seasons. His career record is 747-92-40.
Heenehan, 61, and his wife, Marian, will leave Franklin Lakes early next year and move to Massachusetts to be near their two adult sons and grandchild.
“My wife and I have made a life decision to move to the Boston area, where our boys live and our new grandson,” Heenehan said.
“I’m going to miss him,” said Ramapo athletic director Ron Anello. “But like I told him, ‘Paul, I don’t want to see you leave, but you certainly earned the ability to retire and leave whenever you want.’”
Heenehan began Ramapo’s girls soccer program in 1978 and retired from teaching four years ago. Ramapo won last year’s state Group 2 title, and this season lost in the sectional quarterfinals to Mahwah, the eventual sectional titlist.
He will remain at Ramapo through the end of the school year, serving as an announcer in the winter for boys and girls basketball and as a track coach in the spring.
“You hate to lose an icon like Paul, a nationally known coach,” Anello said. “Replacing him is not going to be an easy task, that’s for sure. The bar is set pretty high at our place.”
“Obviously my decision was easy,” said Heenehan, “because like I’ve always told my program and the people around me, ‘The family comes first.’”