In the hallowed halls of beloved Principia coaches, Ken Leavoy (C’75) makes his mark among the best—though he’d never say so himself. Head softball coach for Upper School and College, 2011 SLIAC Coach of the Year, Associate Athletic Director of the College, and assistant coach to the Canadian Women’s National Softball Team are just a few chapters in his storied career. Now, Leavoy finds himself in another hallowed hall: the Softball Canada Hall of Fame.
To anyone who has played ball for Coach Leavoy, the news of this latest accolade does not come as a surprise. Defined by his dedication, compassion, and love of the game, this honor was never a question of “if” but “when.” Yet for Leavoy himself, the awards and recognition are not the goals; they’re waymarkers. “Success is proof that you’re on the right path,” he says. “When you see progress, there’s more reassurance and buy-in, more commitment, and it tends to accelerate your development.”
“Development” is an understatement for the mark Leavoy leaves on a team. While with the Canadian National Softball Team, Leavoy helped guide the program to a gold medal in the 2015 Pan Am Games—a win that would launch the team from 8th to 3rd in the world rankings. This underdog story also solidified the entire 2015 National Team coaching staff, including Leavoy, into the Canada Hall of Fame.
Yet in the glow of such extraordinary recognition, Leavoy remains characteristically humble. “There's this perception that the coach is in a more important position. But really, every position on a team is equally significant. Why should third base be more important than right field? Coach is simply another position with a different skill set that’s necessary for a team to be successful.”
Helping elevate the game for the Canadian National Team may seem like a full-time job, but for Leavoy, it was only part of his resumé at the time. When he wasn't serving as assistant coach, Leavoy was leaving his mark on two other groups—the Principia Upper School and College softball teams. And as he’ll tell you himself, he took the role of Principia Head Coach just as seriously as his Canadian role.
“By far, the privilege of coaching at Principia was the opportunity to help students make the connection between metaphysics and success in life,” says Leavoy. “All these limitations that we’ve been told about—and far too often accept—you can walk away from at any moment. I was honored to ponder spiritual ideas with student-athletes and help them see themselves as limitless.”
Like any good coach, Leavoy models what he preaches. When reflecting on his own experience at Principia College, he recalled a time his friends asked him to play on the soccer team. “I had never played the game before, only here and there recreationally. I was certainly going to be the least experienced player on the team.” The breakthrough, Leavoy says, came when he recognized his own limitlessness. “I realized that everything I needed was already present. I began to see that I could rise to the occasion and serve the team.” The outcome? Leavoy set a record for goals scored in a single season in 12 games, which stood for 40 years.
And while there's no doubt that a career such as Leavoy’s has many highlights, the hall-of-famer says it’s his time at Principia that acts as a throughline in his life. “Principia is more than an institution,” he says. “It’s also an idea. Principia always has been and ever will be. It’s not just four or more years of school. It’s with you always. It flows through everything you do and stays with you forever. I’m so grateful for the vision Mrs. Morgan had.”