His numbers and accomplishments are off the charts, but for Tewksbury resident Phil Maia, what he has done for thousands of Lowell High student-athletes for almost 30 years is truly astounding. And now he is being recognized for those incredible efforts. On Sunday, May 20th, Maia will be inducted into the Massachusetts State Track Coaches Hall of Fame, at “The Lantana” restaurant in Randolph. The longtime foreign language teacher and three-sport coach at LHS, will now finally be recognized as one of the best track and cross country coaches this state has ever had. “I was really caught by surprise when I received a call from Lou Tozzi of the MSTCA (last Wednesday night),” he said “I know I had a lot of help along the way, to get to this point, that's for sure. It's especially an honor to be recognized by your peers. I think (former TMHS coach) Steve Levine made the initial nomination and I think (current LHS assistant track coach) Scott Ouellet and (former Chelmsford High coach) Jack Lang and the rest of the MVC coaches just carried the momentum.” Maia’s accomplishments in cross country and track are extremely impressive. A the boys cross country coach dating back to 1986, he has a career record of 208-39-2, including winning ten Merrimack Valley Conference Division 1 titles, while the last two years the Raiders have won the Division 1 Eastern Mass title, while finishing as the runners-up at the Division 1 All-State Meet. He served as the outdoor track coach from 1984-1997 compiling a record of 43-43 and has served as an assistant coach since the 1998 season. In indoor track, he has a career mark of 78-20-6, including eight MVC Division 1 titles, and finishing in a tie for second place at this past Division 1 State Meet. In addition to his combined record of 329-102-8, Maia has coached his cross country and track teams to 12 major meet championship titles. He has been named the Boston Globe Coach of the Year twice, including this past winter season, the Lowell Sun Coach of the Year 12 times, the MVC Coach of the Year three times, as well as the MSTCA Coach of the Year for the 2001-02 season. He is currently in his 87th season of coaching, and his 29th year as a foreign language teacher at LHS. “It seems that the daily enthusiasm of coaching and running has made my professional career as an educator fly by,” he said. “It seems like it was just yesterday when I started here during the 1983-’84 season and I think I have less than five years left. My family has been very supportive too. My wife Trish is a saint and my own children Alyssa and Zachary played many games without their dad in the stands.” But now the three of them will be in the stands watching their husband and father get inducted as one of the state’s all-time greatest cross country and track coaches.
Inducted: 2012