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Coach of the Year
Congratulations to Gary Henderson, Nashua PAL’s 2025 Coach of the Year! A Nashua native, Gary has been coaching youth sports for more than 13 years, including baseball, basketball, and football. For the past six years, he has served as a PAL football coach, where every season makes him feel like a kid again.
Gary believes in embodying the qualities of mentorship, kindness, and leadership. Reflecting on his coaching journey, Gary shared, “I must say thank you to Nashua PAL for giving me the opportunity to become someone who I could have used coaching me when I was a kid.” He also lives by the words of George Bernard Shaw: “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.”
The Nashua PAL Storm Board highlights Gary’s commitment by noting that it can be hard to find him on the practice field… That’s because he isn’t giving orders from the sidelines – Gary is right in the mix with his athletes. He’s the coach who will drop down to do sit-ups alongside the player who doesn’t want to, or join in conditioning drills and stretches to keep the energy up. When an athlete is struggling — whether with a play, their helmet, or just having a tough day — Gary gets down at eye level to talk it through. And he’s the one surrounded by athletes, lifting spirits after a tough moment or celebrating a big play together.
Nashua PAL’s Storm board states, “Nashua PAL is so fortunate to have such a dedicated and caring football coach, but not half as lucky as the athletes who are coached by him.” Congratulations, Coach Gary, on being named Nashua PAL’s 2025 Coach of the Year!