By Cary Shuman
Lianne O’Hara, an eighth grade science teacher at the Rumney Marsh Academy, has been named the head coach of the Revere High School girls basketball team.
Frank Shea, Revere director of athletics, made the announcement Tuesday after a selection process that drew three candidates from the school system.
“I think Lianne will bring a lot of positives to the program,” said Shea. “She has the knowledge and the tournament experience and she used to be the [Revere] middle school coach and was very successful in that role.”
O’Hara, who has been an assistant coach at Bishop Fenwick (Peabody) for the past six seasons and is coming off a Division 3 state championship season with the Crusaders, said she is excited to take over the school’s successful basketball program.
“I am excited and nervous at the same time,” said O’Hara. “I know there’s a lot to live up to because Diana [Finn] did such a great job with them.”
Prior to her coaching experience at Fenwick, O’Hara was the coach of the Revere Middle School team for six seasons. She led a Revere contingent to its first undefeated team. That team included Morgan Jenkins, Caitlin Caramello, and Gina Restiano, who went on to excel in the high school program.
O’Hara received a degree in Education from Salem State University in 2001. She has been a teacher in the Revere school system for 15 years, having served as a substitute teacher in Revere during her college years. As a teenager, she received her lifeguard certification in the city and worked in the Revere Aquatics program at the Garfield School.
“Since I’ve been 16, I’ve been working in Revere,” said O’Hara, whose father, Mark, is an RHS graduate. Her uncle, Edward O’Hara, is a former sports great in the city.
Lianne O’Hara said she draws a lot of her coaching philosophy from Fenwick coach Adam DeBaggis. “I’m going to look for my players to put heart and hustle in every game and practice,” she said.