Park Vista football parts ways with former NFL fullback Leonard Weaver

Former NFL fullback Leonard Weaver is out as head coach of the Park Vista football team after just one season, marking the 13th coaching change to rock Palm Beach County high school football this offseason.

The Palm Beach County School District released a statement announcing Park Vista was "parting ways" with Weaver and will conduct a nationwide coaching search.

"I wish I knew in its entirety instead of just speculation why I was let go, but that's not the case and God clearly has different plans for me and my family," Weaver said.

"We are grateful for Coach Weaver’s contributions and wish him well in the future," Park Vista Principal Enrique Vela said.

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Weaver's contributions at Park Vista included quickly earning the respect of his athletes to post a 7-2 record — including four shutouts — in his lone season as head coach.

It was Park Vista's best winning percentage since a 10-1 finish in 2016-17 and improved upon a 2-3 record last year.

"It saddens me and I'm personally in disbelief that I was let go by Park Vista administration — especially given the winning season we had and the positive change in culture that was taking root," Weaver said in a statement Friday afternoon.

"It was definitely out of the blue," Weaver said, mentioning that he was just on a Zoom call with parents Thursday evening to discuss player recruitment, summer camps and plans for the upcoming season.

Park Vista players expressed shock when the former NFL athlete and Pro Bowler told them the news of his departure around 10:30 a.m. Friday via text.

Weaver said he did request that the administration allow him to speak with his players, but that he was told he "could not speak to the kids at all. They said it was per district policy."

Junior Aidan Mahon recalled all of the football players being called into the cafeteria, "where the administration let us all know that coach Weaver 'resigned' and that they couldn’t tell us why."

"To get calls from my guys today and they're crying, it got really emotional for me because they know what I've been through this year," Weaver said.

Weaver said the players had "seen" and "understood" the "different struggles throughout the school, the dynamics, different things that were happening," alluding to the adversity that accompanies joining a new school and redefining a long-standing culture established by former head coach Brian Dodds, who coached at Park Vista for 15 years before stepping down last March.

"It was a tough year, but through it all, we came closer," Weaver said.

"It was not just football. Life is not about football. It's about these kids growing and maturing as young men, so it was hard to hear that they were handled that way and that it happened that way."

Mahon credited Weaver for rejuvenating the program and expressed support in a Twitter post Friday morning, calling Weaver "the best coach this program has ever seen."

"If you ask any kid that's a part of this program, they will say nothing but great things about Coach Weaver," Mahon said. "He was everything."

Senior running back Adam Philp seconded Mahon, sharing that this was "the most put-together roster" he'd ever been a part of since he started competing on varsity three years ago.

"We have six seniors playing at the next level this year so far," Philp said. "That's the most in the last three years.

"He taught us countless things about manhood while he was our coach. He was someone I knew I could count on no matter the time of day."

Weaver said that he "came to Park Vista with the clear communication to them" that he is "more than a great coach."

"I mentor and build young men for life, even off the field," Weaver said.

"We build each other up. We hug each other. We say 'I love you.' We do not cuss at each other," Weaver said.

For now, the Cobras will be relying on "current team assistant coaches and staff with previous football coaching experience" to coordinate conditioning as spring ball approaches and the school searches for its next leader.

"I wish Park Vista nothing but the best and I hope the next coach that leads Park Vista football cares as deeply, if not more than I did about the total player on and off the field."

In the meantime, Weaver said that he "is always open to opportunities," but family will be coming first, especially in the months ahead as he and his wife are expecting another baby.

"This is a time for me to take care of her, but we're just going to take a little time and focus because my heart really hurts for my guys," Weaver said.

Emilee Smarr can be reached at esmarr@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Park Vista football: Leonard Weaver out as head coach after one season