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in Memoriam – Paul G. LeSueur

Paul G. LeSueur: 1948-2019

Paul LeSueur, former Athletic Director and Girls Varsity Basketball Coach, left us on June 10, 2019 after a sudden illness. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth, his four children Paul Jr., Sarah, and twins Peter and Bethany – all exceptional athletes in their own right – and was the proud grandfather of many grandchildren.

Paul was larger than life. A generation of athletes and students were fortunate enough to be guided by Paul’s gentle wisdom as he understood that the value of sports goes far beyond winning and losing. A much-beloved member of our School community, Coach LeSueur’s quick wit and self-effacing humor will be missed — but the lessons he taught us will stay with us always.

Coach LeSueur was a well-known figure in the soccer community beyond our School. In 1971, Paul was one of the first Americans to play for the New York Cosmos and was a member of the Cosmos’ first North American Soccer League (NASL) Championship team in 1972. After retiring from the Cosmos, he dedicated himself to his family and teaching the youth of Long Island through his love and passion for the game of soccer.

Paul went on to win several amateur national titles before serving in the front office with the New York Power in the Women’s United Soccer Association. He also ran the soccer program for the Garden City Recreation Department for nearly 32 years, coached and trained Garden City Centennial soccer teams, and served the Garden City community as Director of the Centennial Advanced Training Program and Centennial Travel Camp. In 2001, the Nassau County Coach-of-the-Year Award was renamed, The Paul LeSueur Coach-of-the-Year Award, to honor his contributions to soccer and years of service as the coordinator for Nassau County high school soccer. On March 9, 2013, Paul was inducted into the first class of the Long Island Soccer Player’sHall of Fame.

The accolades are endless, but perhaps Paul’s greatest quality might be that he was a mentor and friend to so many. Those friendships and the Waldorf student-athletes whom he coached will always remember Coach LeSueur for his dedication, passion, and kindness. Said current Athletics Director Shane Flanagan, “We have truly lost a wonderful man who gave his all to our School and our students. We were blessed to have him as long as we did.”

Said High School Chair, Roland Rothenbucher, “Paul LeSueur was a beloved Waldorf PE teacher, Athletic Director, and coach. He will forever have a fond place in the hearts of our student-athletes, many of whom he guided through their high school years with a steady hand, steadfast dedication, and dry humor. After his retirement from full-time teaching at Waldorf, Coach LeSueur continued to coach many of the Waldorf High School Varsity teams. Each year in October, Coach also enjoyed playing in the Alumni Soccer game at the annual Fall Fair, where he had the distinction of being the most experienced player on the field and the only player who had formerly been a member of the world-famous NY Cosmos in the 1970s.  What a joy and privilege to have known such a passionate promoter of youth sports!”

The funeral mass took place on Friday, June 14th at the Cathedral of the Incarnation.

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