Softball coaching legend Henry dead at 61

Ed “Bud” Henry, the softball coach who led Bishop Fenwick to eight state championships ? seven of which came in succession ? passed away on Saturday at the age of 61 after a two-year battle with cancer.”It is a tough loss to a lot of people,” St. Mary’s softball coach Colleen Newbury said. “Everyone who has played for him and coaches tries to emulate what he did. He put together a winning program that dominated every year.”Newbury won four state titles as a player under Henry.”As a mentor, and as a friend, he was the best person to be around,” said Newbury. “Right up to the end, he loved softball ? loved it.”Henry was a Peabody native and a Hamilton resident. He was a member of the Fenwick Hall of Fame, and he won his first state title in 1985. However, the unprecedented seven-year run began in 1990. Over the next seven years he would coach a plethora of great players, including Newbury (at the time Colleen Parker), Laura Carlson, Lisa McGloin, Emily Desjardins, Lorin Slade and countless others. He also coached the Lyman sisters, Kerri, Kristi, Shannon and Devon, all daughters of current Lady Crusaders softball coach Paul Lyman.”It was a tough loss,” said Coach Lyman. “We have been very close friends. He really put up a great battle.”Lyman took over the reins at Fenwick in 2001, four years after Henry had moved on to Shawsheen Tech in Billerica. Lyman reminisced about the only game he coached against Henry. Henry’s Crusaders defeated Lyman-coached Wilmington in 1994, 5-4, in extra innings.”It is one of my fonder memories (coaching against Henry),” said Lyman. “We used to run clinics together and we decided that we would play. It was a great game.”Henry’s Crusaders set a still-standing national record with 42 consecutive tournament wins, and boasted an impressive 66-10 postseason record, and an unfathomable 332-29 record overall at Fenwick.”A lot of people are going to be feeling his loss,” English coach Alisa Fila said. “He was a legend. The best coach around. The trick plays and strategies he used to psych out the other team were legendary. I always have admired him as a man and as a coach. I was sad to hear of his passing.”After finally being dethroned by Reading in 1997, Henry left Fenwick to become the head coach at Shawsheen, where he won two more North Sectional tournaments.”He went down to a struggling Shawsheen program and completely turned them around,” Classical softball coach Chris Warren said. “He gave the girls that he coached the tools to help them become better players. It’s a great loss for the area and the softball community.”Henry is a member of the Softball Coaches Hall of Fame, and a recipient of the Elmo Benedetto Athletics Award, given by the Harry Agganis Foundation to signify his contribution to youth sports.His legacy extends beyond coaching. After stepping out of the dugout, he became renowned as a teacher of the game, conducting countless clinics and workshops throughout the area.He also has a coaching tree reminiscent of New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick. Two of his ex-players have won their own state championships ? McGloin with Concord-Carlisle and Newbury last spring with St. Mary’s. Mary (Wells) Flynn and Kerri Lyman have also entered the coaching ranks.”The biggest thing, Buddy’s (Henry) whole life was softball,” said Paul Lyman. “Right up to his last breath he was talking softball. He also had a tremendous sense of humor. The girls just loved playing for him, no matter how hard they worked.”Contributions may be made in Henry’s memory to the “At Bat for Buddy” Scholarship Fund, 152 Lynnway, Unit 1F, Lynn, MA 01902.