Greg Leland was touched upon receiving word that the Lathrop High gym will be named in his honor.

“I’m overwhelmed,” he said Monday.

His big day is this Saturday with friends, family, special guests, etc. scheduled to be in attendance for the Greg Leland Gym luncheon and dedication ceremony, which will kick off at 12 noon at LHS, 647 Spartan Way.

Lunch (tickets required) will be served at 12:30 p.m., followed by the gym opening at 1:30 and the gym dedication ceremony taking place at 2 o’clock.

For Greg Leland, who retired as principal of the school in 2023, his time at Lathrop High has always been special. He helped established the current Spartans culture and continues to serve as commissioner of the school’s athletic league, WAC.

He was the third-ever principal at Lathrop High, arriving in 2017 from Sierra High, where he served as Assistant Principal, Vice Principal, Dean of Activities, Dean of Athletics, Summer School Principal, and head coach in both football and track & field during a span of 22 years.

Leland was among the original Timberwolves. SHS was the third comprehensive Manteca Unified high school, opening its doors in August 1994.

He started in education in 1985 at Lathrop Elementary, spending the previous year as a student teacher at Manteca High.

“My career came full circle,” Leland said.

He and his wife Debbie have spent the retirement years as grandparents.

Leland, who was inducted into the Manteca Hall of Fame in 2013 – among his many accomplishments and honors – is still active in the community, serving as president of the Lathrop Sunrise Rotary and also helps out at the Teachers College of San Joaquin, working with first- and second- year administrators.

“I’m enjoying retirement, but I also miss the day-today interaction I had with students and those I worked with over the years,” he said.