Sean Forcine, head coach of the Conestoga boys’ basketball team, received the “All Area Coach of the Year” award for his leadership of the Pioneers during the 2024-25 season from Daily Local News. Forcine’s leadership pushed his team to play at their best, securing a win in the PIAA District 1 6A Championships ending with a record of 22-7. His positive attitude and his efforts in coaching the team led to his recognition as one of the best coaches of the year in the area.
Forcine led the Pioneers through games in the PIAA playoffs and into a win at districts — a game they had not won since 1987. The effort that Forcine has put into coaching his team pushed them to work harder. Junior and varsity player Shane O’Brien was present with the team as they celebrated Forcine’s recognition.
“We were all so proud of him because we knew he really deserved it,” O’Brien said. “He really turned this program around a ton in the past four years.”
Forcine is a Class of 2001 alumnus and became the head varsity coach after 16 years as the assistant varsity coach and four years as the head JV coach. At Conestoga, he was a co-captain of the basketball team and also played soccer.
As a coach, Forcine focusesd on creating a team that could work past its struggles. Forcine believes in a positive attitude to strengthen the team’s chemistry and play. Using his idea of playing with a positive mindset, Forcine trained the Pioneers to connect as a team to grow their skills.
“We have these ten attitude principles and those keep us together,” O’Brien said. “Trust that your teammate has your back, make the extra pass — plays that opened up a whole new game for us.”
The team’s performance reflected Forcine’s determination to bring his team to success through consistent training. The Pioneers learned to expand their skills as Forcine practiced defense and offense with them. Junior Cory Hogan , who served as a captain during the 2024-25 season, looked up to Forcine’s guidance.
“Coach Forcine is one of the most caring and passionate coaches I’ve ever met,” Hogan said. “He wants to win so much but he prioritizes making his players the most prepared young adults we can be.”
As District 1’s underdogs of high school basketball, the Pioneers were known for not having a player above the height of 6-foot-4. Having not won since 1987, the team’s win was a significant milestone for the program at the districts stage. Forcine pushes his players to work as a team, making sure they can communicate every step of the way. His energy after wins and optimism before games motivates the team even more to rely on his talent in leading them further.
“We were super proud and happy for our coach, but we weren’t surprised,” Hogan said. “He has been coaching his butt off for us, so we knew the awards were due to string along.”
Anvita Mohile can be reached at [email protected].
