Medford High Athletic Director Rob O’Leary ushers in new era
O’Leary inherits a Medford program fresh off a sensational spring season, and it's a trend he'd love to continue, while adding his own unique spin.
MEDFORD - The start of the school year couldn’t have come soon enough for Rob O’Leary.
The Saugus native is ushering in a new era with the Mustangs as the new athletic director of the Medford Public Schools.
Officially hired on Aug. 1, O’Leary wasted little time diving headfirst into the thick of things at his new post. His first few weeks were a flurry of activity for the incoming AD, but nothing he couldn’t handle.
“We’re off and running,” said O’Leary on the Tuesday of his first week. “It’s week one, day one, and the kids are excited. I think we have a good handle on things. Hopefully we can have a successful fall and pull that right into the winter.”
O’Leary arrives in Medford after serving six years as the director of athletics and physical education for the Weymouth Public Schools. He earned his stripes, named as the Massachusetts Secondary Schools Athletic Directors Association District 7 Athletic Director of the Year for 2023-24. A veteran educator and coach, he previously held the AD posts in Winthrop and Saugus and in Portland, Maine.
So what drew him to Medford?
“The diversity and the makeup of the school where it’s a comprehensive high school,” said O’Leary, 48, who attended Saugus High before transferring to Tabor Academy to play hockey, graduating in 1996. “We have the vocational and the regular school program all in one. That’s where I was in Weymouth. We had some success with that, pulling kids out of the vocational program to play sports. These kids are only in high school for four years. To get them to enjoy their four years as they find out what they want to do next is important.”
O’Leary inherits a Medford program fresh off a sensational spring season. The Mustangs corralled a wide array of Greater Boston League championship banners in baseball, softball, boys lacrosse, girls lacrosse, and boys volleyball.
It’s a trend he’d love to continue, while adding his own unique spin.
“I’m hoping to get some more statewide success, changing up the schedule, better non-league competition,” said O’Leary. “Try to grow some of the sports with participation and the right opponents for the value of the game they’re playing in the new statewide system. That’s really important.”
As athletic director, O’Leary will oversee the operations and coordination of the Medford Public Schools athletics program, including both middle and high school sports. He’ll work alongside district staff members, leading the management of athletic facilities, coaches, and the Medford Community Schools program. He’ll also collaborate with school staff to ensure appropriate student/athlete health and safety procedures and academic compliance.
Although he played most of his high school sports in the Northeastern Conference, O’Leary has faced several GBL teams in non-league action over the years. He’s familiar with the history at Medford High and the Greater Boston League landscape.
“I’ve been watching the ups and downs, the ebbs and flows, of the GBL,” said O’Leary.
“Medford has a strong history of football, hockey, baseball, and basketball," he said. We have an exciting crew program now, and things people may not know about in the city. We have to do a better job of marketing that and showing people what we can offer their student-athletes, especially 6-8th graders, with many choices now.”
He hopes to continue the winning tradition established under longtime Medford athletic directors Ron Zampell and recently retired Bob Maloney.
“Taking over for an absolute legend is never easy,” said O’Leary, about his predecessor. “I want to grow what they started, but also get with the times of 2025, with all the changes across the state. There’s a lot of new technology, new updated systems we need with recruiting to get kids to the next level with colleges, or wherever they might take their talents.”
“I’m just trying to get people to trust the system and trust the process,” he said. “We’ll get there. We’ve just got to put in the work to get to that point.”
Based off his own track record of success, O’Leary is confident he can do the same thing in Medford.
“It’s just a matter of time,” he said.
Medford High School varsity schedules
Football
9/18 vs. Lynn Classical 6 p.m.
9/25 vs. Revere 6 p.m.
10/2 vs. Somerville 6 p.m.
10/11 @ Northeast Metro 10:30 a.m.
10/17 @ Lynn English 6 p.m.
10/24 @ Chelsea 6 p.m.
10/30 vs. Saugus 6 p.m.
11/27 vs. Malden 10 a.m.
Boys soccer
9/16 vs. Malden 4:15 p.m.
9/18 @ Somerville 4:15 p.m.
9/20 @ North Andover 1:30 p.m.
9/23 @ Revere 4:15 p.m.
9/25 @ Chelsea 4:15 p.m.
9/30 @ Everett 4:15 p.m.
10/1 @ Lynn English 7:30 p.m.
10/7 @ Lynn Classical 7:30 p.m.
10/9 @ Malden 4:15 p.m.
10/11 vs. Arlington Catholic 6 p.m.
10/14 vs. Somerville 4:15 p.m.
10/16 vs. Revere 4:15 p.m.
10/21 vs. Chelsea 4:15 p.m.
10/23 vs. Everett 4:15 p.m.
10/25 vs. Wilmington 7 p.m.
Girls soccer
9/16 @ Malden 4:15 p.m.
9/18 vs Somerville 4:15 p.m.
9/23 vs Revere 4:15 p.m.
9/25 vs Chelsea 4:15 p.m.
9/30 vs Everett 4:15 p.m.
10/2 vs Lynn English 4:15 p.m.
10/7 vs Lynn Classical 4:15 p.m.
10/9 vs Malden 4:15 p.m.
10/14 @ Somerville 4:15 p.m.
10/16 @ Revere 4:15 p.m.
10/18 vs Malden Catholic 6 p.m.
10/21 @ Chelsea 4:15 p.m.
10/23 @ Everett 7 p.m.
Girls volleyball
9/17 vs Chelsea 5:30 p.m.
9/18 @ Winthrop 6 p.m.
9/22 vs Everett 5:30 p.m.
9/24 vs Malden 5:30 p.m.
9/29 @ Lynn English 5:30 p.m.
10/1 vs Lynn Classical 5:30 p.m.
10/6 @ Revere 5:30 p.m.
10/8 @ Somerville 5:30 p.m.
10/10 @ Essex North Shore Agricultural 5 p.m.
10/13 @ Chelsea 5:30 p.m.
10/15 @ Everett 5:30 p.m.
10/20 @ Malden 5:30 p.m.
10/21 vs Essex North Shore Agric 5 p.m.
10/22 vs Lynn English 5:30 p.m.
Golf
9/15 @ Somerville 3:45 p.m.
9/16 vs Somerville 3:30 p.m.
9/25 vs Lynn Classical 3:30 p.m.
9/29 @ Woburn 3:30 p.m.
9/30 @ Everett 4 p.m.
10/6 @ Lynn English 3:30 p.m.
10/7 @ Malden 3 p.m.
10/9 vs Lynn English 3:30 p.m.
Boys cross country
9/17 vs Revere 4:15 p.m.
9/24 vs Malden 4 p.m.
10/1 @ Somerville 4 p.m.
10/8 @ Lynn Classical 4 p.m.
10/15 vs Chelsea 1 p.m.
10/22 vs Lynn English 4 p.m.
10/29 vs Chelsea 6 p.m.
Girls cross country
9/17 vs Revere 4:15 p.m.
9/24 vs Malden 4 p.m.
10/1 @ Somerville 4 p.m.
10/8 @ Lynn Classical 4 p.m.
10/15 vs Chelsea 4 p.m.
10/22 vs Lynn English 4 p.m.
10/29 vs Chelsea 4 p.m.
All dates and times are subject to change. Check the Medford High Athletic Department website to confirm dates and times.
