Jake Cummings has no shortage of fans around Leechburg, most notably the coaches who know him best.
“He is the best human being I have ever worked with in my 52 years of coaching football,” Leechburg football coach Randy Walters said.
Added Blue Devils baseball coach Heath Shimer: “As a father, you would love to have him as your child. From a coaching perspective, he is a dream to have as a teammate and individual.”
The recent Leechburg graduate and incoming member of the Allegheny football program excelled on the field as a three-sport athlete in football, basketball and baseball. He will be remembered by his coaches as not only a gifted athlete, but also a valued friend and teammate.
For his efforts, Cummings is the 2025 Valley News Dispatch Boys Athlete of the Year.
“He led by example through hard work,” Leechburg basketball coach Andrew McDermott said. “He showed the younger kids how to act and be a great teammate.”
Cummings’ impact as a player was felt through all three sports in which he participated.
He helped Leechburg football achieve a fourth WPIAL Class A playoff berth, while leading the team in catches from the tight end position. He had 68 receptions — most for a tight end in the state — along with 714 receiving yards.
He also rushed for 450 yards, with an average of 7.4 yards per carry. He had nine total touchdowns on the season.
“He is committed to getting better at everything that he does,” Walters said. “He came in as a freshman at 138 pounds and put in work in the weight room and was up to 208 pounds by his senior year.”
As a high profile athlete, Cummings has learned a lot about what it takes to be a good person on and off the field.
“Having discipline is the most important trait that anyone can have,” Cummings said. “Another lesson I learned is to be a leader and pick up the younger guys.”
On the hardwood, Cummings was one of two Blue Devils to play all of the games this past season, and he led the team in rebounds per game (7.9) while doing it.
“He came in and embraced the culture,” McDermott said. “He showed the younger guys how to buy in, and his impact will be felt for years to come.”
This spring, he was among the WPIAL’s leading hitters, batting .534 to earn all-state honors while leading Leechburg to a Section 2-A title (14-0) and a spot in the WPIAL quarterfinals. The outfielder had a team-high 31 hits, scored 23 runs and drove in 20. He hit safely in 16 of the team’s 18 games.
“He had incredible stats senior year but you would never know that if you talked to him,” Shimer said. “Jake was all about the team and an unbelievable player.”
In addition to being committed to play football at Allegheny in the fall, Cummings will also be joining the school’s Army ROTC program while pursuing a degree in business and a minor in computer science.
“As a kid, I’ve always wanted to pursue a career in the military,” Cummings said. “I also always wanted to play sports in college, so the Army ROTC program was a great opportunity for me.”
The constant hard work and Army-like drive Cummings has shown through his high school years is reflective of his two role models, he said.
“My parents have been my role models,” Cummings said. “They have helped me through life no matter the circumstance which has given me the discipline and motivation to make them proud.”