Head coach Kevin Boyle of FAB 50 Power Montverde Academy (Fla.), the program he has led to seven FAB 50 national titles since the 2012-13 season, will head up the program at SPIRE Academy (Geneva, Ohio) beginning with the 2025-26 season. The news will impact the high school landscape, as Boyle has influenced the high school game on a multitude of levels.

Kevin Boyle, who has helped raised the profile of big-time high school basketball over the past decade plus at Montverde Academy (Fla.), is looking to stay one step ahead of the game once again. It was announced today he is leaving the program he helped make an international brand since taking over in 2011-12, to take over the program at SPIRE Academy (Geneva, Ohio) beginning next season.

 

In Boyle's time at Montverde Academy, he is 363-32 heading into the inaugural EYBL Scholastic Tournament taking place at the Riverview Park Activities Center in North Augusta, S.C., March 5-8. More importantly than his record, he has won countless big games and helped take the spotlight and level of competition of academy-type programs to new heights.

Once looked at as outliers or stops for players with academic shortcomings or where a change of scenery was necessary, these academy-type programs that don't play for state championships are now much more accepted across the landscape and Montverde Academy's dominance under Boyle aided that. His program's profile also helped the creation of the EYBL Scholastic League in 2020-21 when it was known as the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference.

SPIRE Academy is banking on Boyle elevating the profile of its program in similar fashion in this new day of high-stakes high school basketball that is influenced by the nation's elite players being able to profit through their name, image, and likeness (NIL) since July of 2021. With Boyle at the helm, there is little doubt some of the nation's elite will seriously consider joining the program moving forward because of his track record.

SPIRE Academy is currently an Under Armour-sponsored program, and similar to Montverde Academy, has a varsity and post-graduate team. As of now, SPIRE Academy is not part of any state association or national conference.

"I think with the changing landscape of high school and college basketball that SPIRE has the right leadership, vision and plan to achieve its goals," Boyle told Ballislife. "Those goals include to become one, if not the top, high school program."

Boyle also stated the program "checks all the boxes" with regard to where the landscape of high school basketball is headed. NIL drives decision-making on the collegiate level at a widespread level. NIL influenced decision-making among the nation's elite high school players has become more prominent each season since 2021 and look for that trend to continue to uptick.

In a statement on its website, Montverde Academy announced it will conduct a "comprehensive national search" for its next head coach and dedicated Director of the Center for Basketball Development.

A Lasting Legacy

In his first season at Montverde Academy, the Eagles lost in the championship game of Chipotle High School Nationals to Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.), but after that first season the Eagles took off. They have not finished ranked lower than No. 5 in the FAB 50 in past 12 seasons, although they currently sit at 19-6 and ranked No. 9 heading into their March 6 quarterfinal contest with FAB 50 No. 10 CIA Bella Vista (Phoenix, Ariz.).

Since 2012-13, Montverde Academy has began as preseason FAB 50 No. 1 nine times and have won the FAB 50 National title as the No. 1 team seven times (2013-15, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2024). The program also won Chipotle Nationals in those same years expect in 2020 when the event didn't take place because of COVID-19. The 2022 team also won the end-of-season event when it finished No. 2 in the FAB 50. The 2018, 2020 and 2024 team also finished undefeated against challenging national schedules.

The seven FAB 50 titles ties Boyle with now retired Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) coach Steve Smith for the most all-time.

Individual Talent Shines Under Boyle

Prior to Montverde Academy, Boyle coached at St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.), which is now operating away from the diocese under the name Patrick School (Hackettstown, N.J.). Including his time at St. Patrick, Boyle is currently 873-164. There in his native New Jersey is where Boyle began to harness some of the nation's finest high school talent. He coached All-American Al Harrington, 2011 Mr. Basketball USA Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Kyrie Irving, the No. 1 pick of the 2011 NBA Draft, among others.

In all Boyle has coached six Mr. Basketball USA honorees, the individual honor dedicated to the nation's best high school player strictly on high school resume and team success. In addition to Irving, the players named Mr. Basketball USA at Montverde Academy are Ben Simmons (2015), R.J. Barrett (2018), Cade Cunningham (2020), Dariq Whitehead (2022) and Cooper Flagg (2024). Simmons and Cunningham are developed into No. 1 NBA Draft picks and Duke's Flagg is also in the running to be selected No. 1 in 2025.

Simmons told Ballislife he felt comfortable attending Montverde Academy because it was the program he recognized as a young player growing up in Australia.

One year after playing for Boyle on the 2020 national championship team, Cunningham, Scottie Barnes (No. 4), Moses Moody (No. 14), and Day'Ron Sharpe all were drafted in the first round. In that 2021 NBA Draft, Boyle had seven of his former players drafted. This year, Flagg, Derik Queen (Maryland), Liam McNeeley (UConn) and Asa Newell (Georgia) could all be first round NBA Draft picks. Robert Wright (Baylor) is another terrific talent off last year's undefeated club.

Those names and numbers stand out to parents, coaches and to the directors at SPIRE Academy. The Ohio-based program is banking on Boyle re-creating that type of success.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of Ballislife.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores