Northwestern coach ushered in a new era of success in Rock Hill. Now he’s moving on
Leon Boulware is moving on.
The wrestling coach, who in his only year at Northwestern brought the program the kind of success it hadn’t seen in decades, has stepped down as head coach of the Trojans. Boulware will be the head wrestling coach at North Myrtle Beach High School next season, he told The Herald earlier this week.
“This was something my wife and I always wanted to do, which was to get to the coast,” Boulware said. “The support I had at Northwestern is unmatched. From the administration standpoint, from (athletic director) Jimmy (Duncan), doing whatever was necessary for the program — and every program. I have no regrets. I’m not walking away disappointed.
“It’s kind of bittersweet, to be honest with you, because if I could pick Northwestern up and take the whole school with me and the administration, it would be awesome. But I feel like it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.”
Boulware leaving his Rock Hill hometown is significant because of the short-term success the program saw under his leadership.
In one season, after years of Northwestern barely making the 5A state playoffs despite the school being replete with athletes, Boulware’s Trojans put together a season to remember — one that included a win over state power and rival Rock Hill (only the third one since the 1970s); a Region 4-5A title; and an Upper State finals appearance.
The team also had impressive individual performances in the state tournament. Senior Kaleem Heard (132) and junior Isaac McLellan (220) were crowned as state champions in March.
“The program is now in a great situation, a great position, to continue to be successful,” he said, adding, “I know for a fact that I’m leaving Northwestern better than I found it. There was always open communication, which really helped with the process. And I’m still working with Coach Duncan and (principal Hezekiah) Massey to make sure the program continues in the right direction for next year.”
However impactful his presence for one year at the Rock Hill school was, it wasn’t necessarily surprising: Before coming to Northwestern in 2020, he spent four successful years at Indian Land. He won four consecutive region titles and two consecutive state titles there, and he even earned the South Carolina Coaches Association’s Wrestling Coach of the Year award after 2018-19.
Before then, he served as the head coach at Lancaster and Nation Ford, where he led the Falcons to their first playoff appearance in school history.
“I think Coach Boulware coming in, and his staff coming in, and the family environment he created — it made the parents and players feel like they were a part of something special,” Duncan told The Herald, adding, “I thought that if anyone could come in here (and build) this quickly, it would be him to do that. And by every stretch of the imagination, he exceeded all expectations.”
Northwestern’s next move
Northwestern has already started searching for Boulware’s successor.
Duncan said the school posted the position online last week and will be conducting interviews soon.
“We’ve had a lot of interest in the job,” Duncan said. “We have a lot of state qualifiers returning, a state champion returning, so coach Boulware and his staff have obviously made it a more attractive position. And we’re excited about the future of the wrestling program.”
As for Boulware, the coach said he will remain and teach at Northwestern for the duration of the 2020-21 school year. He also said he spoke with the North Myrtle Beach wrestling team on Wednesday afternoon and received a tour of the school’s “top-notch” facilities.
Boulware is inheriting a program on solid footing. The North Myrtle Beach Chiefs are an area power — one that made the 4A Lower State finals in 2020 and advanced to the state championship match in 2019.
And like at Northwestern, Boulware will serve as an assistant on the North Myrtle Beach football team.
“I’m always going to root for them, unless we have to line up against each other,” Boulware said of Northwestern. “But there’s mutual respect. They have a fan in me.”
This story was originally published May 6, 2021 at 2:32 PM.
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