A Derry man has coached an America school’s football team to a major title.

Les Meenan led Chattahoochee High School in Georgia to the state football championship earlier this month.

Georgia is one of the largest states in the US with a population of around 10 million people.

Les, who is 42, is originally from the Rosemount area of Derry and played at junior level for Tristar and Derry Athletic before enjoying a spell with Derry City Reserves.

After leaving St Columb’s College, he went to university in England before being offered a sports scholarship at a university in Indiana in the US.

The local man, who also attended St Anne’s Primary School, fell in love with the American lifestyle and, after graduating, he applied for teaching jobs in the country.

He has been in his present position at Webb Bridge Middle School in Georgia for 18 years where he is head of the PE department.

Webb Bridge, which caters for children between the ages of 11-14, is located beside Chattahoochee High School and is a feeder school to Chattaoochee.

As a result of the close links between the schools and Les’ football background, he was asked several years ago to help out with the school’s football team.

It was been a successful partnership.

The school won is its first ever Class AAAAAA state championship in 2011.

The championship is the most prestigious football competition in the state.

Chattohoochee has now won the championship for a second time after a 2-0 victory over Gainesville school last week.

It was such a big deal that the school’s victory made the front page of the local newspaper.

Les, who is married to Nicola, who is originally from the Waterside area of Derry, and who has two children, Ciaran (8) and Darragh (5), said he was very proud of his team’s success.

“It is a very difficult competition to win,” he said.

“The championship is split into four regions and then the four top teams in each region go into a knockout competition.

“Our boys were brilliant and they did themselves, the school and their families proud.

“Some of them have been on the team for a couple of years and they were used to disappointment having lost in the semi-final of the state championship last year.

“So they deserve great credit for coming back from that disappointment to win the competition this year.”

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