From the 1970–1971 season to the end of the 2003–2004 season, Haddonfield Memorial High School varsity sports won 85 state titles. In the 10 years since The Haddonfield Sun has existed, the school has won 50 state titles.
Eighty-five in 33 years; 50 in 10 years.
You’re welcome, Haddonfield.
While we’d like to take all the credit for the school’s recent run of success, athletic director Lefteris “Lefty” Banos is more generous.
“I don’t see any high school that would be as perfect to work for,” Banos said. “It’s an honor and a privilege to serve this community. To be able to work with these colleagues, administrators and coaches has been an honor. Everyone is on the same page to do what’s best for the students.”
Banos is starting his 10th year at the school and has lived in Haddonfield for the last 13 years. His wife, Kimberly LaMaina, is a 1994 HMHS graduate. It’s fair to say that working in the borough is more than just a job for Banos.
“It is extra special to be a public servant in the place you reside. My wife grew up in Haddonfield. My kids are growing up in Haddonfield,” Banos said. “The community hasn’t changed. Haddonfield has been striving for excellence for 300 years.”
The last 10 years have not been without challenges for the school’s athletic program.
“The financial problems that the education system of New Jersey has have always been an obstacle. This is my 20th year in education, and it’s always affecting what you’re able to do as a teacher, as an administrator or as a coach,” Banos said. “From the amount of books you can provide to the amount of uniforms and to the number of games you’re able to schedule. It’s always a challenge.”
Despite that, lacrosse was added as both a boys and girls varsity sport early in Banos’ tenure.
“There would be kids who lived in Haddonfield and played in Cherry Hill youth lacrosse leagues, but when they got to high school here they weren’t able to play,” Banos said. “There were concerns about it taking away from other spring sports like softball, baseball and track, but we found that a lot of kids who played lacrosse weren’t playing other spring sports. We’ve had tremendous growth in the program in that we now have more than 100 kids playing boys and girls lacrosse. Year in and year out, they’re playing at the college level. We have kids playing lacrosse at the Ivy League level, at the Division III level. I’m very pleased with the addition.”
In recent years, as the discussion on safety in sports has been pushed to the forefront, Banos said HMHS is ahead of the curve in handling student athlete injuries.
“When medical issues like that make the national media, parents who have children playing sports ask ‘what are we doing about this?’” Banos said. “And the good thing about being in New Jersey is our state athletic association has been ahead of those issues. We have a very progressive state athletic association.”
According to Banos, HMHS implemented ImPACT software testing for concussions “two or three years before it became the norm for other high schools.”
“We have an excellent athletic trainer in Rachel Gould. She does a tremendous job in staying up to date but also having a vision for the medical needs of our students in the future,” Banos said. “We’re fortunate that we live in New Jersey, in Haddonfield especially, that we’re staying ahead of the trends that are coming down the road.
The pride Banos shows in the titles the school has won is evident, but what he appears most proud of is that HMHS has won the NJSIAA ShopRite Cup every year since the award’s inception.
Each year, ShopRite stores across New Jersey honor six top performing high school athletic programs with the presentation of the ShopRite Cup. Now in its 11th year, the ShopRite Cup is presented jointly by ShopRite stores and the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Six winning schools, four public and two private, have received the prestigious award each year since the program’s inception in 2004. HMHS is the only school in New Jersey to receive it every year.
“That speaks to the high level that Haddonfield has performed at over the years against schools across the state,” Banos said.
Another point of pride for Banos and HMHS is alumni returning to the school as coaches.
“We have eight coaches who were Haddonfield graduates. One third of our varsity teams are coached by former students. That speaks to the tradition and the positive experiences our students have during their time here,” Banos said.
The “team” atmosphere goes beyond just the students.
“We have young coaches looking up to the veterans and they work really well together,” Banos said. “It’s a great team.”
