Coach Kevin Sheehan: Athletic Background
Forged and molded by athletic experiences in Oceanside under the guidance and tutelage of legendary coaches and teachers, Kevin would go on to the State University of New York State in Albany in 1967, where he played a key role in Albany’s initial lacrosse team. Serving as captain of this team for three years, Kevin helped lead Albany from undefeated club team to the Northern New York State Championship Team in 1971, serving as captain for three of his years. In 2018, Kevin was named to Albany's All Fifty Team, honoring the the fifty most outstanding players in Albany history. In 1972, Kevin joined the faculty at Oceanside where he taught social studies and coachedteams over the next three decades in football, wrestling, basketball, soccer and lacrosse, encompassing nearly every level and gender.
Joining Paul Doherty on the lacrosse staff at Adelphi University in 1977, Kevin began a seventeen year college coaching career that would see Adelphi earn a national reputation second to none. In 1979, Kevin would help lead Adelphi to the National Division II-III Championship, the first in its history. That national championship would be followed by a second in 1982, and when Adelphi entered Division I in 1982, it would become the first and only team in NCAA history to earn an NCAA Division I bid in its first year of competition. Adelphi would follow that NCAA bid with NCAA three more Division I tournament bids in 1985, 1987 and 1989, including two quarterfinal appearances. In 1992, Kevin assumed the head coaching position at Adelphi, guiding Adelphi to a third Division II National Championship in 1993.
In 1998 and 2002, Kevin served as assistant coach to the Australian National Lacrosse team, helping Australia earn the bronze medal in the World Lacrosse Games in both campaigns. In 2003, US Lacrosse honored Kevin with its initial and only award for Most Creative Youth Lacrosse Coach in America. Switching to the high school girls game, Kevin helped the Oceanside girls earn win their first ever conference championship in 2004 and then went on to serve as coach of the Long Island Empire Girls Lacrosse team, which would win two gold medals in the Empire Games in 2006 and 2007 by the greatest margin in the history of the games. Kevin was inducted into the LI Metropolitan United States Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2003. Despite all of this success in coaching, Kevin maintains that his greatest accomplishments in life will always be his three sons, Ryan, Dylan and Casey.
Joining Paul Doherty on the lacrosse staff at Adelphi University in 1977, Kevin began a seventeen year college coaching career that would see Adelphi earn a national reputation second to none. In 1979, Kevin would help lead Adelphi to the National Division II-III Championship, the first in its history. That national championship would be followed by a second in 1982, and when Adelphi entered Division I in 1982, it would become the first and only team in NCAA history to earn an NCAA Division I bid in its first year of competition. Adelphi would follow that NCAA bid with NCAA three more Division I tournament bids in 1985, 1987 and 1989, including two quarterfinal appearances. In 1992, Kevin assumed the head coaching position at Adelphi, guiding Adelphi to a third Division II National Championship in 1993.
In 1998 and 2002, Kevin served as assistant coach to the Australian National Lacrosse team, helping Australia earn the bronze medal in the World Lacrosse Games in both campaigns. In 2003, US Lacrosse honored Kevin with its initial and only award for Most Creative Youth Lacrosse Coach in America. Switching to the high school girls game, Kevin helped the Oceanside girls earn win their first ever conference championship in 2004 and then went on to serve as coach of the Long Island Empire Girls Lacrosse team, which would win two gold medals in the Empire Games in 2006 and 2007 by the greatest margin in the history of the games. Kevin was inducted into the LI Metropolitan United States Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2003. Despite all of this success in coaching, Kevin maintains that his greatest accomplishments in life will always be his three sons, Ryan, Dylan and Casey.
Dr. Kevin Sheehan: Academic Background
Dr. Kevin Sheehan is a tenured associate professor at Molloy College, where he has served on the faculty for over a decade. In 2013, Molloy College recognized Kevin with its Faculty Leadership Award for his work with children of poverty. In 2009, the New York State Council for Social Studies awarded Kevin the Distinguished Social Studies Educator Award for his efforts in preparing social studies teachers. Prior to his work at Molloy College, Kevin was the K-12 Social Studies Director for the Oceanside School District and was recognized as the New York’s outstanding supervisor for social studies by the New York State Council for Social Studies in 2002.
After receiving and publishing his doctorate from Hofstra, Storm Clouds in the Mind, Dr. Sheehan has continued his research, authoring several numerous articles on belief (hope) and grit. Kevin has become a featured presenter on positive psychology topics across the nation and has worked with numerous districts integrating belief into their regular school curriculum. On an international level, Kevin has presented at the last three International Positive Psychology Conferences.
Authoring Growing a Growth Mindset and Unlocking Character Strengths with Children’s Literature with former student and co-author Jessica Ryan, Kevin created a way for elementary teachers to integrate belief into their classrooms through the vehicle of popular children’s books. Employing the lessons in the book, Kevin and his Molloy students have created a nationally recognized website, Behindthecurtainsofhistory.weebly.com, which seamlessly integrates for teachers the concepts of growth mindset, hope, grit, character strengths, and happiness into the New York State social studies curriculum.
After receiving and publishing his doctorate from Hofstra, Storm Clouds in the Mind, Dr. Sheehan has continued his research, authoring several numerous articles on belief (hope) and grit. Kevin has become a featured presenter on positive psychology topics across the nation and has worked with numerous districts integrating belief into their regular school curriculum. On an international level, Kevin has presented at the last three International Positive Psychology Conferences.
Authoring Growing a Growth Mindset and Unlocking Character Strengths with Children’s Literature with former student and co-author Jessica Ryan, Kevin created a way for elementary teachers to integrate belief into their classrooms through the vehicle of popular children’s books. Employing the lessons in the book, Kevin and his Molloy students have created a nationally recognized website, Behindthecurtainsofhistory.weebly.com, which seamlessly integrates for teachers the concepts of growth mindset, hope, grit, character strengths, and happiness into the New York State social studies curriculum.
