TOWAMENCIN – After she recently announced her coaching retirement, it’s strange to think that North Penn girls head basketball coach Maggie deMarteleire never aspired to become a coach. Especially a coach at North Penn, for that matter.

She grew up in an athletic family, was a four sport athlete in high school, and was one of nine siblings. Daughter of longtime Lansdale Catholic football coach Jim Algeo, Maggie deMarteleire grew up around sports.

deMarteleire, a Lansdale Catholic alum, was inspired by her sister’s experience at her alma mater to consider a basketball coaching career.

“My sister had three different [basketball] coaches her freshman, sophomore, and junior year in high school. I thought that was ridiculous, they needed some stability,” said deMarteleire.

Even though deMarteleire was living in New Jersey at the time, she applied for the job. She ended up getting the JV coaching position, and after three seasons, she moved up to coach the varsity team.

“When I first started I was extremely intense,” reflected deMarteleire smiling, “People think that I’m intense now, but I was way more intense back then.”

However, it was that intensness that brought Lansdale Catholic a winning girls basketball program and the stability they were looking for. In her 15 seasons coaching at Lansdale Catholic, deMarteleire led the Crusaders to 10 PAC-10 Championships, 15 district runs, and 7 state runs.

A winning tradition may have been the outcome, but it was never the only goal for deMarteleire.

North Penn 2017 graduate Irisa Ye, who is now playing at the University of the Sciences, elaborated on how her former coach balanced winning and the state of her team.

“She is a very passionate coach who cares about the well being of her players, not just about winning,” said Ye.

After the Crusaders moved to the Catholic League, deMarteleire was not asked to continue coaching for the school. Ironically, the next day, a parent reached out to her about an open coaching position at North Penn. Even though North Penn has always been a historic rival of her alma mater, deMarteleire took the job. She described her decision to coach at North Penn as surreal.

“Just walking through the North Penn hallways going to my first open gym felt strange,” noted deMarteleire, a lifelong Crusader.

After her first two seasons, which some considered to be rocky, deMarteleire created a winning tradition in the North Penn girls basketball program. She even coached the Knights to their first District One Championship win in the history of the girls program in 2014.

2017 North Penn graduate Jess Huber, who now plays at the University of the Sciences, recognizes deMarteleire’s impact.

“She has accomplished so many things as a coach. She has definitely left her mark on North Penn,” reflected Huber.

More recently, deMarteleire reached her 500th win in 2016. Sam Carangi, a 2017 graduate of North Penn who is now playing at Villanova University, noted how much deMarteleire deserved that milestone.

“She is someone who is always there for her players, putting in so much work. I’m so happy that her hard work paid off and that she was able to achieve such a great accomplishment that few coaches get,” said Sam Carangi.

But one of her biggest accomplishments was being inducted into the Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fame in 2016. That also meant that she would be joining her father, Jim Alego, who was inducted in 2005.

“I remember the exact day and time that I received that call. I was so overwhelmed, I cried,” said deMarteleire.

Looking back on her achievements, deMarteleire remains humble and thankful towards all of her teams.

“All of the accomplishments are not because of me, they are because of the girls that I have coached,” reflected deMArteleire.

Now, deMarteleire will still be working at North Penn, but she plans to use extra free time to be with her family more often- especially her grandkids.

Current senior basketball player Bri Hewlett spoke  for her team when she commented on how they were handling their coaches big news.

“We will honor her and celebrate the accomplishments of her entire coaching career. We wish her the best of luck in continuing the next chapter of her life, spending more time with her grandkids and the rest of her family,” noted Hewlett.