Leeder named girls lacrosse coach at Swampscott High

The Swampscott High girls lacrosse program has a new head coach. Ken Leeder, who took over the girls soccer head coaching job this past fall, was appointed varsity lacrosse coach on Friday.Leeder takes over for Paula Donnelly, who recently stepped down. He?s from New Jersey, but moved to Boston, where he works in sales and lives in Cambridge. He coached girls lacrosse for six years at Mary Help of Christian, a Catholic school in New Jersey.Leeder said he enjoyed coaching the girls soccer team and decided to go for the lacrosse job when it opened up.?I had a nice experience with the kids in soccer,” he said. “They?re nice kids and good parents. There are some talented athletes. It should work out well.”Leeder said the numbers are good enough to have both a junior varsity and varsity program and with the popularity of lacrosse growing at the youth level, he expects them to get even better.Leeder said a few of his soccer players also play lacrosse, which should help with the transition.?If the kids are like the ones in soccer, it should be good. They?re a hard-working, good group of kids,” he said.