Dave LaHait was a Salisbury resident growing up. Today he would have gone to Triton Regional High School. Thankfully back in the 50’’s, Salisbury residents attended Amesbury High School. Dave attended Amesbury from 1955 to 1959. He was an outstanding athlete in three sports attaining 10 varsity letters at AHS. He was voted Best Athlete of his senior class. He went on to the University of Maine where in participated in football and track. He came back to Amesbury in 1969 to teach Science and Health his first year. Then he was a Physical Education teacher until 1991 when he retired from teaching. Dave also coached football, basketball and track while teaching at Amesbury.
Dave Bailey who was assistant football coach and track coach with Dave said, ” It was great working with Dave. I learned a lot from him, and it was so much fun being around him. He made coaching very enjoyable.”
In football he played all 4 years earning three letters and was a Co Captain his senior year. His freshman year for the last two games of the season, he and teammate Bruce Pike were honored to be called up to the varsity team coached by the legendary Tony Tassinari.
Bruce Pike said, ” that Dave was a great leader, athlete, and a person who always gave 100%.”
He was an assistant coach in football from 1969 until 1977. Amesbury won a state championship and 2 CAL championships while he was an assistant coach. He also coached in the Harry Agganis All-Star football game.
In basketball he played for 4 years, lettered for 3 years, and was a Co Captain his senior year. Dave was team high scorer his junior year with 210 points which placed him as the 6th highest scorer in the NEC. He was also team high scorer his senior year with 261 points which placed him as 5th in the NEC. Also in his senior year, he led the league with 64 free throws. In Bert Spofford’s history of AHS basketball, he rated him as one of the most outstanding individuals for the 1957-58 and 1958- 59 seasons. In his junior year Dave set a single game scoring record of 33 points against Danvers in the new Tassinari gym. He was elected to the NEC all star team his senior year.
He was head boys basketball coach for 4 years . Then became the head girls coach for 10 years and was selected area Coach of the Year 3 times.
In track Dave lettered all 4 years and was a Co Captain his senior year. He helped Amesbury to have 3 undefeated seasons during his 4 years. He was the record holder in the high jump and was the State class D high jump champion in 1957. (note: In those days they didn’t have nice padded foam mats for the high jump. They had sawdust in the pits.)
He was an assistant track coach and helped Amesbury become an outstanding program in the CAL. Amesbury was CAL dual meet champions in 81, 83 and 84. They also won 4 straight CAL league meets. Dave coached the jumpers and sprinters, and they were some of the best in the history of Amesbury track.
Congratulations to inductee Dave LaHait, Class of 1959.
