With winter sports season quickly approaching, Cheltenham High School boys’ basketball head coach Patrick Fleury has a milestone waiting for him just around the corner.
Now in his sixth year at the helm, Coach Fleury is working towards his 100th career coaching victory.
The Panthers have seven league championships in their history books, and Coach Fleury, who graduated from CHS in 2005, has been a part of five of those teams as a former Panther student-athlete and a coach.
He was named the 2021-22 Pennsylvania Co-Coach of the Year and has led numerous Panthers to a host of accomplishments and accolades, including numerous SOL All League and PIAA All State player recognitions.
Multiple league titles, SOL tournament championships, and several deep runs in the District I and PIAA 6A tournament have followed suit. In his first four seasons, Fleury led the Panthers to an 87-17 record and the most victories in a season in school history (30) and in the state in 2021-22.
“I think it’s a testament to each and every student who believed in the vision at one point or another. We are humbled to be in this position,” Fleury said.
Accomplishments in mind, his greatest moments have been the program’s graduates who have gone on to collegiate programs, some of whom went to Division I schools.
“One of the proudest moments for our staff is receiving the Co-Coach of the Year Award for the PIAA’s Class 6A after our 30-2 season,” he said. “We have also been blessed to see our players build a true family-like culture that extends beyond the last game as a high school team.
“Our challenges have been blessings. As coaches we have focused on development and culture. Those who see value in our community and school continue to stay and build legacies that their peers and those who are younger can follow,” Fleur said. “We have been able to build lifelong bonds with our players. It is also a special feeling to hear my former teammates keep up and give back to their younger brothers as time progresses and the alumni reach new heights in their professional careers.”
In July 2022, Fleury was given another hat to wear for his alma mater: Athletic Director. He relinquished his special education teaching position to guide the Panthers’ activities on the court, field, and track.
“I am excited to welcome Mr. Patrick Fleury as our athletic director,” Principal Jimmy D’Andrea said after the decision was made public. “As a Cheltenham alum and teacher/coach at the school, Mr. Fleury has made great inroads building relationships with students, and he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this position. Success in and out of the classroom for all of our students is his top priority.”
“Our vision is to build a comprehensive program that takes our students from the start to the finish. We are looking to merge our activities and athletic programs to build a unique identity that is distinguishable around the world,” Fleur said. “Cheltenham is a family and will continue to lay one brick a day to reach our goal.”
He also noted his focus on facilitating partnerships which aim to represent the Cheltenham community.
“This past year we were able to bring back Nyla “Naryellai” Anthony, an American Idol performer, to sing the national anthem at graduation,” he said. “She’s performed many times for our sport programs. This moment was a beautiful one for our district as we continued to show our students the possibilities that await them after high school.”
Amidst the demanding hours required of any athletic director, Coach Fleury also takes time to enjoy himself. These photos were recently shared by Cheltenham School District:
For more on Coach Fleury, you can click here. For the Panthers’ 2023-24 basketball schedule, you can click here.
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Photos: CHS, Chalkbeat Philadelphia