Mike Lavelle has spent the last 16 years coaching football at South Fork High School, including the last six seasons as the Bulldogs’ head coach. On Wednesday, June 23, 2021, he announced to his players that he had made the difficult decision to step down from a position that has been synonymous with his last name for many years – Coach Lavelle’s father, Dennis Lavelle, served as a head and assistant coach at South Fork for 16 years prior to his retirement in 2019.
“Anyone who knows Coach Lavelle knows that above and beyond being an excellent educator and football coach, he is a family man,” athletic director Ed Geiger said. “Coach Lavelle is a husband and father of three young children and has decided to place a greater focus on his personal life outside of football. He will continue to serve as a math teacher at South Fork. We thank Coach Lavelle for his dedication and commitment to our student-athletes and program – he has left tremendous shoes to fill.”
“We are extremely grateful for the brand that was developed by Coach Lavelle,” principal Jay Blavatt shared. “Both he and his father committed to a standard of effort on the field, character in the hallways and excellence in the classroom. While we understand that the decision to transition away from the sidelines has not been an easy one, we are grateful to Coach Lavelle for leaving our program in extremely capable hands.”
South Fork High School alum Antwan Blatch (class of 1999), who has served the past two seasons as the program's defensive coordinator, will serve as the Bulldogs’ interim head coach for the 2021 season. Coach Lavelle suggested that Coach Blatch be promoted to fill the interim position, a recommendation that was fully supported by the assistant coaching staff.
“The legacy of character and commitment established by the Lavelle family will continue here at South Fork,” Blavatt said. “We are confident that our Bulldogs will continue to compete at the highest level as we move forward.”
