Boys Lacrosse: Haverford hopes spirit of ‘the helmet’ leads to district success

HAVERFORD >> Mike Leyden had been away for five years, from his senior season at Haverford, through an All-American career at Cabrini, to assuming the JV coaching job at his high school alma mater this spring. So much had changed for the former attackman since the last time he suited up for the Fords that the end of his first varsity game assisting former mentor Dan Greenspun caught him by surprise. As the Fords wrapped up a blowout victory against Holy Ghost Prep, Leyden heard the players starting to stir about who would get “the helmet.”

“I didn’t forget about it, but I didn’t really think about it,” Leyden said. “Then the first game, they started talking about, ‘Where’s the helmet?’ and I was like, ‘Oh, I kind of forgot about that.’ And it was nice to see it was still there.”

Haverford’s helmet tradition began as a memorial to Leyden’s father, Mike Sr., a way to cope with the tough times Mike Jr. and younger brother Kevin endured when their father passed away during their high school careers. It’s since morphed into a powerful symbol for the Fords, an ever-present talisman on the sidelines and a physical embodiment of the blue-collar ethos that informs Haverford’s historic success this season. That’s the attitude Greenspun and Leyden hope guides Haverford, the No. 7 seed in the District One Tournament, when it begins postseason play Tuesday by hosting No. 26 Wissahickon at 8 p.m.

The tradition of the helmet transports Mike Jr. back five seasons, to when his father was diagnosed with melanoma and died after a short battle with the illness in April 2011. As a way to memorialize Leyden, the team adopted a new tradition: A white hard hat, exactly like the one Leyden Sr. wore for years working for Aqua American, emblazoned with Haverford logos. The helmet symbolized Leyden’s dedication, his tireless effort to work — rain or shine — in supporting a family and contributing to a community. Applying that same lunch-pail work ethic to lacrosse could turn a team of average talents into a whole that greatly exceeded the sum of its parts.

Click HERE to read the full article.

Haverford High boys lacrosse coach Dan Greenspun began the tradition of “the helmet” in 2011 in honor of Haverford parent Mike Leyden Sr.. Leyden’s son, Mike Jr., was a star and Haverford and is now an assistant coach for the Fords. (ROBERT GURECKI — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA)