Dave Maher’s long span of diverse involvement in Arlington youth sports began by chance back in 1978.
Having moved out of the county, he is reducing his direct involvement. But not without one final victory.
The head coach of the boys Arlington Travel Basketball (ATB) Commandos travel team led the squad to a recent Fairfax County Youth Basketball League postseason-tournament championship. It was the fourth, that he can remember, one of his teams had won.
Maher, 66, has been involved with ATB for years as a coach of players of all ages and a league administrator in various capacities. He also was involved in Arlington youth football, Arlington soccer and Arlington Little League.
Maher also helped form Arlington Little League with his friend Scott Ginsberg.
“He has done so much for ATB and other Arlington sports organizations,” ATM boys commissioner Kevin Farrell told ARLnow. “He has great integrity and is a terrific role model. He has institutional knowledge about a lot of things, so we still plan to call him.”
Maher has been heavily involved in ATB’s Challengers program, and also coached the boys freshman and junior-varsity basketball teams at his alma mater Bishop O’Connell High School (Class of 1977) for a few years.
Maher moved from Arlington to Centreville in recent years, and admits the commute back in can be a challenge.
“I retired from my government job a year ago, and this is another change,” Maher said. “I can still be involved from afar, but I won’t be as visible as much now. I’ve been involved a long time, I have seen a lot and have enjoyed all of it.”
Maher got started with Arlington sports when he was asked to help coach a team in 1978. He initially began coaching house league basketball a couple of years later.
Jim Sedor, who has worked and coached with Maher in Arlington, praised his commitment.
“Dave hasn’t lost any of his passion for working with kids and helping them own their behavior and being held accountable in responsible ways,” Sedor said. “He really cares about the culture of youth sports, and it has been wonderful to have him involved for so long in Arlington.”
Although he won’t be directly involved in Arlington sports, Maher remains active regionally. He regularly umpires high-school baseball games and does the scheduling of match officials for high-school volleyball events in Loudoun County.
Maher has umpired in a recent and annual Congressional baseball game, and serves as president of the Northern Virginia Umpires Association.
