Agents Giving Back: Devin Hugh Leahy to the Manhattan Kickers Football Club

Growing up in Manhattan, Douglas Elliman agent Devin Hugh Leahy found a passion for soccer. What started as a therapeutic outlet as a young boy led to a college soccer career as the captain of his team at Hunter College. Devin helped lead his team to its first NCAA tournament in over a decade, scoring the final goal in the finals. The lessons I learned in my soccer career, as well as the opportunities which stemmed from that passion, have contributed positively in so many areas of my life including how I run my real estate business. —Devin Hugh Leahy In the early days of his real estate career, Devin began coaching for the Manhattan Kickers Football Club founded by one of his most influential youth coaches. As his career has taken off, Devin still finds ways to give back to the sport and club that meant so must to him in his formative years so he can help share that experience with other kids. Elliman Insider: How do you give back to the Manhattan Kickers Football Club? DEVIN HUGH LEAHY:  I’ve been affiliated with the club for the last six years, working with groups from three to 12 years old. For the last five years I’ve been training the same group of boys four to five times a week. I also give back through donation efforts. In the last three years through personal donations, along with donations from my team at Douglas Elliman, we’ve raised upwards of $70,000 for the club. I founded the Kick It Back Program with Evan Rosenthal, the director of the club, as a means to help the club continue to support its curriculum, which, as a non-profit, depends on donations. These donations contribute to things like free training sessions for three to six year olds in underserved communities, most recently in Harlem. EI: Why did you choose this particular organization? DHL: MKFC’s founding principles and approach to coaching youth soccer are some of the most valuable lessons and experiences I cherish from my own childhood. To be able to be a part of a club and culture that is giving back in the same ways that I so greatly benefited as a youth means a tremendous amount to me. The hands-on coaching staff sets high expectations for all the players involved, and is dedicated to the individual player and the overall success of the team. The ability to have any part in the growth and maintenance of this club is the ultimate gift for me. EI: How have you benefited from giving back? DHL:  Coaching has provided me an outlet to pass on my passion for the game of soccer and the lessons I learned as a kid to a new generation of young athletes. Being a coach and mentor is a tremendous responsibility, and I hold myself to the same high standards that I hold my athletes. I am constantly striving to be a better coach which directly correlates to the success of my own personal growth and business. I feel that giving back by way of offering my time through coaching and with donations raised of almost $70,000 are my greatest accomplishments in life. I have grown into a self-reflective and whole person. EI: How do you see your relationship with the organization growing? DHL: I plan on continuing to be the head coach for the oldest age group at the club while continuing to be a lead source for donations and economic stability for the club. EI: Is there anything you’ve learned in this relationship that you apply to real estate? DHL: There is always room for improvement in anything you do in life. The more willing you are to acknowledge weaknesses or flaws within yourself the closer you are to achieving personal andor business success. There are simply no excuses when it comes to performing at a high level. Sometimes you need to slow down to learn a new skill, or work on something that may not come easily to you. The balance between being critical of yourself while also remaining confident in your abilities is key. Lastly, you have to understand the outcome you’re trying to achieve first then put a strategy in place to achieve that result. —by Jacqueline Kuron