Loyola Names New Head Coach for Girls Basketball

Loyola girls basketball will enter into a new season next year with a new head coach - Jaila Leaven. After 12 years as head coach following nine years as assistant coach, Kyle Tanner is stepping down from his role as the Lady Flyers head basketball coach.

Leaven will take the reins as head coach for the 2022-23 season. She joined Loyola as a physical education teacher and assistant basketball coach in 2020, and will be the first female basketball coach in the school’s history. 

“It’s a great feeling to be the first female basketball coach at Loyola,” she said. “We need more women to take on leadership roles to show young girls that they can do it too. There is a long history of great coaches here at Loyola, especially in basketball, and I am grateful to be among them.”

Prior to joining Loyola, Leaven was a student basketball coach at East Texas Baptist University and has coached basketball for Thrive 360, a nonprofit organization that helps at-risk teens. She also played college basketball at LeTourneau University. 

“Basketball may be just a game for some people, but to me it is a lifestyle,” Leaven said. “The game teaches you so many valuable life lessons that will help you excel at life off the court. My goals for our girls is for each of them to gain confidence, love themselves for who they are, and fear nothing for anyone but God. I want them to trust and love each other unconditionally, and be the best versions of themselves. If they achieve this, I know we will do great things on the court.”

With a record of 241-150 as head coach, Tanner is by far the winningest coach in school history for girls basketball. He led Loyola to the 2011-12 Class 2A state championship.  Leaven said she is grateful for the opportunity to learn from Tanner during her time at Loyola. 

“Coach Tanner has definitely left some big shoes to fill, which I don’t have a problem doing the work to fill them,” she said. “He is such a selfless person that always puts the team's needs first no matter what. I am blessed to have in my life on the court and off.”

While Tanner is “retiring” as a coach, he will continue teaching Speech and Media Arts at Loyola.

“I am grateful for Kyle and the many years he has given to the girls basketball program at Loyola,” John LeBlanc, Principal at Loyola, said. “I know Jaila will take what she has learned under Kyle’s leadership and continue to improve on it and make it her own. We are looking forward to a great season next year, and I am excited about what she and the girls are going to achieve.”