Haldane boys soccer coach Dwidar steps down after successful tenure

Haldane boys soccer coach Dwidar steps down after successful tenure

After helping establish the Haldane boys soccer team as a small-school contender, and guiding them four years ago in becoming the first boys program at the school to win a state championship, longtime coach Ahmed Dwidar announced last week that he has stepped down.

“I’m leaving this program without any regrets of my time here,” he told lohud. “I’m very proud of what we accomplished. I’m proud of all the kids, the families that helped us build this up, and every coach who worked alongside me.”

Dwidar has two small children, including an 11-month-old daughter, and he said the time away from coaching will allow him to focus more on “being a dad.”

The 39-year-old wouldn’t rule out an eventual return to the sideline, saying that he would “consider” coaching opportunities down the road.

“But right now, it’ll be good to have more time at home,” he said. “I’ll still be watching and studying the game. I’ll never stop learning about soccer.”

After announcing his decision in a message to the players and parents in which he described his tenure as “one of the most rewarding experiences of my life,” Dwidar said he received a torrent of supportive calls and texts.

“When people let you know that you’re appreciated and you’ll be missed,” he said, “it means so much and you get a little emotional.”

Dwidar joined Haldane in 2009, first as a junior varsity coach, then took over the varsity team the next year and led them until 2015. What followed was stints as an assistant coach at Dutchess Community College and Walter Panas High School, before returning to Haldane during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

He led the Blue Devils in 2022 to the Class C state championship, that group capping a remarkable run with three intense one-goal victories in the state tournament.

“When I came back, I knew we had potential and I wanted us to do something special, and we did,” Dwidar said. “The program had 14 kids in total my first year, and it’s grown to 85. Haldane was always known for basketball and volleyball, but we carved out some space for soccer.”

Dwidar is a native of Egypt who moved to New York as a child and attended Roy C. Ketcham High School in Wappingers Falls. He works at SUNY New Paltz and lives with his family in nearby Clintondale.

During his 12 seasons at Haldane, the boys soccer team won three Section 1 titles and was the sectional runner-up seven times, including last fall when they lost to North Salem on the Tigers’ run to a state championship repeat.