# Roy Lester

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Roy_Lester
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Roy_Lester.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Lester
> Source revision: 1315427237
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

For the English rugby league player and coach, see [Roy Lester (rugby league)](/source/Roy_Lester_(rugby_league)).

**E. Roy Lester** (October 3, 1923 – May 3, 2020) was an American [college](/source/College_football) and [high school football](/source/High_school_football) coach. After a successful career at the high school level, he served as the head coach of the [University of Maryland](/source/University_of_Maryland,_College_Park) [football team](/source/Maryland_Terrapins_football) from 1969 to 1971. Lester was the school's fourth head coach in five years, and compiled a 7–25 record during his tenure. He was fired after the 1971 season when Maryland finished at the bottom of the [Atlantic Coast Conference](/source/Atlantic_Coast_Conference) for the second consecutive year.

Lester returned to coach interscholastic football, including as head coach of [Richard Montgomery High School](/source/Richard_Montgomery_High_School) where his teams compiled an 86–10–1 record and six undefeated seasons. His high school teams at Paint Branch and Mcgruder High Schools won three [Maryland](/source/Maryland) state championships. Lester attended [West Virginia University](/source/West_Virginia_University) where he was a three-sport athlete and earned [letters](/source/Varsity_letter) in football, [baseball](/source/College_baseball), and [basketball](/source/College_basketball). He was inducted into the West Virginia University Sports Hall of Fame in 2008.

## Early life

Lester grew up in [Spencer, West Virginia](/source/Spencer,_West_Virginia) and attended college at [West Virginia University](/source/West_Virginia_University), where he [lettered](/source/Letterman_(sports)) in [football](/source/West_Virginia_Mountaineers_football), [basketball](/source/West_Virginia_Mountaineers_men's_basketball), and [baseball](/source/West_Virginia_Mountaineers).[2] In basketball, he played as a [center](/source/Center_(basketball)) and recorded 27 points in 21 games during his career.[2] In baseball, he played as an [outfielder](/source/Outfielder) from 1947 to 1949, and as a senior recorded 53 [hits](/source/Hit_(baseball)) and a .339 [batting average](/source/Batting_average_(baseball)).[2] He played [college football](/source/College_football) under famed coaches [Bill Kern](/source/Bill_Kern) and [Dudley DeGroot](/source/Dudley_DeGroot) as an [end](/source/End_(American_football)) in 1948 and participated in the 1949 [Sun Bowl](/source/Sun_Bowl).[3] Lester was named to the West Virginia 1940–1949 Team.[4] He graduated in 1949 with a degree in [political science](/source/Political_science).[2] In 1949, Lester played football for the [Paterson Panthers](/source/Paterson_Panthers_(American_Association)) of the [American Association](/source/American_Association_(football)), a farm team of the [Philadelphia Eagles](/source/Philadelphia_Eagles).[2]

## Coaching career

### High school and assistant coach

In 1950, Lester began his coaching career at Walton High School in [Walton, West Virginia](/source/Walton,_West_Virginia) from 1950 to 1951.[2] The following season, he moved on to [Allegany High School](/source/Allegany_High_School) in [Cumberland, Maryland](/source/Cumberland,_Maryland).[2] From 1956 to 1958, Lester served under [Tommy Mont](/source/Tommy_Mont) as the [University of Maryland](/source/University_of_Maryland,_College_Park)'s ends coach and freshman team coach for three seasons.[2][5][6] Lester served as the head football coach at [Richard Montgomery High School](/source/Richard_Montgomery_High_School) in [Rockville, Maryland](/source/Rockville,_Maryland), from 1959 to 1968. During his tenure, Richard Montgomery compiled an 86–10–1 record, which included six undefeated seasons.[7][8] In a time before Maryland hosted high school football playoffs, Lester's teams were considered some of the best in the state.[9]

At the end of his stint at Montgomery in 1968, he held a 25-game winning streak.[2] Future NFL linebacker [Mike Curtis](/source/Mike_Curtis_(American_football)) was among the players under Lester at Montgomery.[10]

### Maryland

In 1969, Lester was hired as Maryland's fourth head coach in five years. His embattled predecessor, [Bob Ward](/source/Bob_Ward_(American_football,_born_1927)), had been forced out in the face of a player rebellion and a combined 2–17 record.[5] Lester had previously twice applied for the Maryland head coach position.[11] The *[Daytona Beach Morning Journal](/source/Daytona_Beach_Morning_Journal)* speculated that Lester's undisclosed salary probably matched Ward's: $20,000.[11] Lester reintroduced the [split-T](/source/Split-T) formation at Maryland,[12] which [Jim Tatum](/source/Jim_Tatum) had used to [great effect there in the 1950s](/source/Maryland_Terrapins_football_under_Jim_Tatum_(1947%E2%80%931955)).[12] Lester's philosophy was explained by the Maryland sports information director Jack Zane: "The [pass](/source/Forward_pass) should open up the defense for the [running game](/source/Rush_(American_football))."[12]

In the sixth game of his first season, Maryland's starting quarterback, junior Dennis O'Hara, was injured in a loss at [South Carolina](/source/South_Carolina_Gamecocks_football), and was replaced by sophomore Jeff Shugars.[13] In the season's penultimate game, Maryland lost to [Penn State](/source/1969_Penn_State_Nittany_Lions_football_team), 48–0.[6] Penn State halfback [Lydell Mitchell](/source/Lydell_Mitchell) had been recruited by Lester and originally intended to go to Maryland before he opted for Penn State instead.[13] Lester was bothered by a similar situation with fullback [Franco Harris](/source/Franco_Harris), whose high school coach was a friend of Lester's.[13] Lester attributed Maryland's football woes to the turnover at head coach and lack of depth because of recruitment shortcomings.[13] Maryland won the finale against [Virginia](/source/Virginia_Cavaliers_football) to finish the season with a 3–7 record.[6]

In 1970, Lester's Terrapins finished with a 2–9 record. After an upset loss in the season opener against [Villanova](/source/Villanova_Wildcats_football), 21–3, Lester shuffled the roster. He switched the positions of eight players, which included Tom Miller from fullback to [linebacker](/source/Linebacker).[14] In the previous season, Miller had gained 629 yards, the second-most ever by a Maryland sophomore.[14] After losing their first five games, Maryland beat South Carolina on [Homecoming](/source/Homecoming) weekend, 21–15, which prompted Maryland fans to tear down the goalposts in celebration.[15] In the 25-mile per hour winds, the Terrapins capitalized on the Gamecocks' poor [punting](/source/Punt_(American_football)) game, which included one blocked punt.[15] Two weeks later, Maryland was beaten by [Clemson](/source/Clemson_Tigers_football), which scored 21 points in the fourth quarter to win, 24–11.[16] With the loss, Maryland slid to a 1–7 record, and Lester said he was giving serious consideration to stepping down before the next season. He said, "If I'm not doing the proper job I'm willing to relinquish the job. I took this loss very personally."[16]

In 1971, some observers considered Maryland, which returned 37 [lettermen](/source/Letterman_(sports)), to be the [dark horse](/source/Dark_horse) in the [Atlantic Coast Conference](/source/Atlantic_Coast_Conference) (ACC).[17] Lester said he expected a winning season and that "a lot of people may be surprised."[18] However, the Terrapins dropped the season opener to underdog Villanova once again, 28–13. The *[Star-News](/source/Star-News)* called it the most stunning of five upsets in the ACC teams' opening weekend, rating it ahead of [NC State](/source/NC_State_Wolfpack_football)'s loss to [Kent State](/source/Kent_State_Golden_Flashes_football), Virginia's loss to [Navy](/source/Navy_Midshipmen_football), South Carolina's win against [Georgia Tech](/source/Georgia_Tech_Yellow_Jackets_football), and [Duke](/source/Duke_Blue_Devils_football)'s win against [Florida](/source/Florida_Gators_football).[17] Maryland won the following week against NC State, but then dropped five straight before beating the [Virginia Military Institute](/source/VMI_Keydets) on Homecoming. Maryland closed the season with losses to Penn State, Clemson, and Virginia to again finish with a 2–9 record.[6]

Lester was fired at the conclusion of the 1971 season. Athletic director [Jim Kehoe](/source/Jim_Kehoe) cited Maryland's worst record in the ACC for two consecutive years and stated his goal of making Maryland a "nationally ranked caliber" team.[19] Kehoe also said, "financial factors are a serious consideration," and that home game attendance had fallen to its lowest point, which threatened the financial well-being of the athletic department.[19] Lester was replaced by [Jerry Claiborne](/source/Jerry_Claiborne),[20] who went on to considerable success in the position.[6] In September 1973, [Maryland All-American](/source/List_of_Maryland_Terrapins_football_honorees) guard Paul Vellano, then playing under Claiborne, said of the past coaches' difficulties: "A lot of the kids said that Ward was a good coach but that he had a lot of [bad apples](/source/Bad_apples). Lester was a high school coach and nobody had ever heard of him. I can't understand it. We had nine freshman who were All-Americans my first year here under Lester. Maybe if they had let him stay he could have done the job."[21] One of Lester's lasting contributions was the recruitment of future Maryland and NFL star [Randy White](/source/Randy_White_(American_football)).[22] At the end of his tenure, Lester had a combined collegiate coaching record of 7–25.[23]

### Return to high school coaching

In 1972, Lester returned to the interscholastic ranks as a head coach at [Paint Branch High School](/source/Paint_Branch_High_School) in [Burtonsville, Maryland](/source/Burtonsville,_Maryland), which awarded him a ten-year contract.[8] It was Paint Branch's third year of varsity football, and their first two campaigns had ended with 3–7 records.[8] About the move, Lester said, "I spent too long treating college players nice and making sure they were happy... I don't have to do that now. I can coach here. If they want to quit, fine."[8] In 1975, he led Paint Branch to the Class B state championship.[7][24]

From 1979 to 1993, Lester served as head coach at [Magruder High School](/source/Colonel_Zadok_A._Magruder_High_School) in Rockville, Maryland.[25] In 1984, Lester led Magruder to capture the Class B state championship, and repeated the feat with the Class A state championship in 1986.[24] In 1989, he earned his 200th win as a high school coach when Magruder defeated [Einstein](/source/Albert_Einstein_High_School), 24–0, bringing his interscholastic record to 200–61.[26] Lester finished his tenure with a 107–47 record at Magruder.[27] Upon the conclusion of his coaching career, he had won 260 games at [Montgomery County](/source/Montgomery_County,_Maryland) schools.[7]

## Later life and death

In 1996, the Maryland Football Coaches Association inducted Lester into its Hall of Fame.[28] In 2002, Richard Montgomery High School renamed its athletic field Roy Lester Stadium in his honor.[27] In 2008, the West Virginia University Sports Hall of Fame inducted Lester as a member of its 18th class.[2][29]

Lester resided in [Gaithersburg, Maryland](/source/Gaithersburg,_Maryland) and had four children – three sons and a daughter.[2] He died in [Rockville, Maryland](/source/Rockville,_Maryland), on May 3, 2020, at the age of 96.[30] The cause of death was complications from [COVID-19](/source/COVID-19) amid the [COVID-19 pandemic in Maryland](/source/COVID-19_pandemic_in_Maryland).[31]

## References

1. Ed Heard, [John E. Faber, UM lacrosse coach](https://www.baltimoresun.com/1994/01/16/john-e-faber-um-lacrosse-coach/), *The Baltimore Sun*, January 16, 1994, retrieved May 28, 2010.

1. ["E. Roy Lester (2008) - WVU Sports Hall of Fame"](https://wvusports.com/honors/wvu-sports-hall-of-fame/e-roy-lester/110). *WVUSports.com*. Retrieved May 8, 2020.

1. *[Former Mountaineer dies at 96](https://mountainstatesman.com/article/former-mountaineer-dies-at-96) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200808082132/https://mountainstatesman.com/article/former-mountaineer-dies-at-96) 2020-08-08 at the Wayback Machine*, Mountain Statesman, Wednesday, May 6, 2020

1. [Record Book Supplement](http://www.msnsportsnet.com/content/09-FB-Record-Book%20Supplement.pdf) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20100102081707/http://msnsportsnet.com/content/09-FB-Record-Book%20Supplement.pdf) 2010-01-02 at the Wayback Machine (PDF), *2009 West Virginia Football Media Guide*, West Virginia University, 2009.

1. [Roy Lester Named Terp Coach](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AUUaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3yQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3098,5200080&dq=roy-lester&hl=en), *The Times-News*, March 12, 1969.

1. [Year-By-Year Results](http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/md/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/07guide-11.pdf) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20181026140910/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/md/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/07guide-11.pdf) 2018-10-26 at the Wayback Machine (PDF), *2007 Terrapin Football Record Book*, University of Maryland, 2007.

1. "R. Montgomery To Honor Lester", *The Washington Post*, September 20, 2002.

1. [Maryland Coach Back At Home In Prep Ranks](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=1RAdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JZwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7037,3821055&dq=roy-lester&hl=en), *The Tuscaloosa News*, August 27, 1972.

1. Leonard Shapiro and Andy Pollin, *The Great Book of Washington, D.C. Sports Lists*, p. 247, Running Press, 2008, ISBN 0-7624-3356-6

1. Nicklas, Ed (October 25, 1984). ["Lester: One More Football Title?"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1984/10/25/lester-one-more-football-title/86e2fd53-e984-4a04-a364-59ad9e0ef479/). *WashingtonPost.com*. Retrieved May 8, 2020.

1. [Lester Named Maryland Grid Coach](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NLQtAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ocsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3849,3466558&dq=roy-lester&hl=en), *The Daytona Beach Morning Journal*, March 15, 1969.

1. [Lester Keeps the Big Ones Penned Up](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=foMsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=d80EAAAAIBAJ&pg=7167,5694156&dq=roy-lester&hl=en), *The Herald-Journal*, October 30, 1969.

1. [Maryland Way Down, Coach Says](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mdobAAAAIBAJ&sjid=NlAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7232,7432716&dq=roy-lester&hl=en), *The Pittsburgh Press*, November 14, 1969.

1. [8 Players Switched By Lester](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CIEsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=a80EAAAAIBAJ&pg=5526,3076610&dq=roy-lester&hl=en), *The Herald-Journal*, September 16, 1970.

1. [On Loss To Maryland; Leheup: They Deserved It](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JYIsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dc0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=7315,3448004&dq=roy-lester&hl=en), *The Herald-Journal*, October 18, 1970.

1. [Low-Ebb Lester: It's Not Kids' Fault But Mine](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ODMsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vMsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3759,75835&dq=roy-lester&hl=en), *The Herald-Journal*, November 1, 1970.

1. [No Way To Explain Losses](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=a8csAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tAkEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5586,2243843&dq=roy-lester&hl=en), *The Star-News*, September 13, 1971.

1. [Terp Coach Expecting Big Season](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_WgtAAAAIBAJ&sjid=34kFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1883,1889570&dq=roy-lester&hl=en), *The Schenectady Gazette*, September 8, 1971.

1. [Maryland Fires Head Grid Coach](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4P0cAAAAIBAJ&sjid=IJwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7352,902691&dq=roy-lester&hl=en), *The Tuscaloosa News*, December 5, 1971.

1. [Claiborne Wants To Forget Past](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_OQiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=apoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3388,5471459&dq=roy-lester&hl=en), *Reading Eagle*, December 17, 1971.

1. [Terps' Vellano Wants Bowl Bid](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MV0sAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fM0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=7151,827154&dq=roy-lester+coach&hl=en), *The Herald-Journal*, September 5, 1973.

1. [Pine Has Rich Grid Background](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3qgfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=a9YEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1089,4260828&dq=roy-lester+football&hl=en), *The Gardsen Times*, October 25, 1981.

1. [Roy Lester](http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/coaching/alltime_coach_year_by_year.php?coachid=1370) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20140320040559/http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/coaching/alltime_coach_year_by_year.php?coachid=1370) 2014-03-20 at the Wayback Machine, College Football Data Warehouse, retrieved February 9, 2009.

1. [R. Montgomery To Honor Lester](http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/187457601.html?dids=187457601:187457601&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Sep+20%2C+2002&author=&pub=The+Washington+Post&desc=R.+Montgomery+To+Honor+Lester&pqatl=google) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20121102120627/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/187457601.html?dids=187457601:187457601&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Sep+20,+2002&author=&pub=The+Washington+Post&desc=R.+Montgomery+To+Honor+Lester&pqatl=google) 2012-11-02 at the Wayback Machine, *The Washington Post*, September 20, 2002.

1. [HighBeam](https://web.archive.org/web/20121104050455/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1291640.html) Magruder Surprises Even Its Coach; Unheralded Team Will Play DuVal in Semifinal Saturday, *The Washington Post*, November 23, 1988.[NOTEBOOK; Tunnell Replaces Lester In Magruder Football Post](https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/72216177.html?dids=72216177:72216177&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jan+11%2C+1994&author=Frank+Hughes&pub=The+Washington+Post+%28pre-1997+Fulltext%29&desc=NOTEBOOK%3B+Tunnell+Replaces+Lester+In+Magruder+Football+Post&pqatl=google) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20121102120542/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/72216177.html?dids=72216177:72216177&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jan+11,+1994&author=Frank+Hughes&pub=The+Washington+Post+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=NOTEBOOK%3B+Tunnell+Replaces+Lester+In+Magruder+Football+Post&pqatl=google) 2012-11-02 at the Wayback Machine, *The Washington Post*, January 11, 1994.

1. [Magruder Beats Einstein As Lester Gets 200th Win](https://web.archive.org/web/20121104050508/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1215209.html), *The Washington Post*, October 3, 1989.

1. [R. Montgomery To Honor Lester](https://web.archive.org/web/20121023051942/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-384820.html), *[The Washington Post](/source/The_Washington_Post)*, September 20, 2002.

1. [Hall of Fame](http://www.digitalsports.com/pages/type/organization/typeid/2/id/3143.aspx) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20100428085352/http://www.digitalsports.com/pages/type/organization/typeid/2/id/3143.aspx) 2010-04-28 at the Wayback Machine, Maryland Football Coaches Association, retrieved June 5, 2010.

1. [WVU Announces Hall of Fame Class](https://web.archive.org/web/20080430234901/http://westvirginia.scout.com/2/749279.html), [Scout.com](/source/Scout.com), April 27, 2008.

1. ["Terps Mourn Passing of Former Head Coach Roy Lester"](https://umterps.com/news/2020/5/4/football-terps-mourn-passing-of-former-head-coach-roy-lester.aspx). *UMTerps.com*. May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 4, 2020.

1. ["Roy Lester, former Maryland football coach and Montgomery County legend, dies of coronavirus complications"](https://www.baltimoresun.com/coronavirus/bs-md-ob-cv-roy-lester-maryland-football-coach-20200504-6fnea6pvhvgvxa33ey5ukmu22m-story.html). *[The Baltimore Sun](/source/The_Baltimore_Sun)*. May 4, 2020.

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Roy Lester](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Lester) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Lester?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.