Elaine Loft, Staff Writer
Ed Lemire, who has been coaching basketball at Derryfield for 47 years, was inducted in the NH Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame on October 25. Lemire, who retired from teaching math at the school in 2018, also coached baseball, and softball at Derryfield. His entire lifetime coaching career spans 55 years.
Lemire is a graduate of Keith Academy in Lowell, MA, where he had a stellar career as the football team quarterback. He then matriculated from Lowell Technological Institute (now UMass Lowell), where he earned his BS in mathematics. Lemire began his teaching career at St. Margaret School in Lowell (two years), followed by three years at The Fenn School in Concord, MA, before coming to Derryfield in 1979.
Lemire’s coaching career at Derryfield was extensive, including four years of JV baseball, five years of JV boys’ basketball, 11 years as varsity softball head coach, 17 years as varsity softball assistant coach, and 34 years as varsity girls’ basketball head coach. Under his leadership, the basketball team reached the Final Four 13 times, and were NHIAA D-IV state champions in 1997-98. In addition to his most recent honor, Lemire was inducted into the NH Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2005.
Coach Lemire shared his coaching philosophy:
“Something is wrong if you are not having fun. Even hard work in practice can be fun–it is up to the coaching staff to see that this is achieved. It is important for coaches to guide each player individually, and not just the team as a whole. Teaching fundamentals are important…but not as important as the development of each player as an athlete and a person.”
