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For Kevin Coyle, Class of 2015, West Haven High School laid the foundation for a journey defined by hard work, discipline, and community. A multi-sport athlete who competed in hockey, lacrosse, tennis, and Unified Sports, Kevin carried the lessons he learned on and off the field into his future. After graduating, he earned a degree in Applied Exercise Science from Springfield College in 2019, a step that set him on the path to becoming a strength and conditioning coach. Today, he works with elite athletes at Prentiss Performance in Stamford, Connecticut, helping them reach their peak potential.
Reflecting on his high school years, Kevin credits Mrs. Gardner as a major influence. “When thinking about who influenced my high school career, it was Mrs. Gardner,” he said. “I developed a relationship with her through St. Lawrence parish, and it overlapped in school. When I was a junior, I had a D in English for over a month, and when she heard, she set up a tutor to get me back on track.” Kevin also appreciated the support and access he had as a student. “Being able to go into the principal’s office at any time to sit down and ask for favors was a great luxury,” he recalled. And playing West Haven hockey left lasting memories. “Some of my best moments on and off the ice were with the kids I grew up with. Being a West Haven hockey player has paid dividends well beyond my playing years.”
For current WHHS students, Kevin emphasizes that consistent effort matters most. “Every kid that has a WHHS education has the same chance to be great,” he said. “The thing everyone is looking for is consistent and reliable good help. If you can do the small things well with a positive attitude, you will be someone people want around.”
If he could speak to his younger self, Kevin would offer encouragement to embrace challenges and focus on growth. “I have so many lifelong memories from high school,” he reflected. “I would tell myself to take even more risks, lift more weights, work harder on the small details at home, and journal my life as much as possible.”
Kevin’s love for training eventually shaped his career. “I am a strength and conditioning coach for Prentiss Performance in Stamford,” he explained. “We deal with athletes competing at the highest level, and I help them get there. I found out I wanted to pursue this when I was training in Milford at High Intensity Sports Performance and Armstrong Fitness in West Haven. I couldn’t stop training, and I still can’t. I always felt my most authentic self in the gym, and that led me to study exercise science at Springfield College. After years of internships, jobs, and reps, I know I am still just scratching the surface of what I can be.” Kevin credits WHHS with shaping his drive. “I am incredibly driven, and I wouldn’t be the person I am without everything West Haven High taught me. Everything I did outside the classroom has taught me the most.”
Through it all, Kevin holds onto a guiding principle: “Keep your head down in success, and your chin up in failure,” he shared, pointing to a motto painted on the back wall of his workplace. “It’s what I looked at when I failed the biggest job interview of my life, and it’s what I look at every day. I experience so much success, but it’s important not to get caught up in it, perfection is the standard, so you have to keep going. But when I fail, which is more often than I would like, I remind myself to keep my eyes clear and my head up, and focus on what I can do better.”
From the ice at Bennett Rink to the training facilities of Stamford, Kevin Coyle has built his life on discipline, perseverance, and authenticity. His story reminds us that true success comes from showing up, working hard, and staying grounded through it all.