Waynesburg football coach Coss dies at 45
Chad Coss, the head football coach at Waynesburg Central High School, died on Monday, Dec. 21.
The cause of death was not immediately known. He was 45.
Coss graduated from Waynesburg Central High School in 1993. He recently finished his third season as head coach at his alma mater and coached football at Mapletown and West Greene as well.
He also was an assistant softball coach at West Greene.
鈥淗e loved that job (at Waynesburg),鈥� said Scot Moore, athletic director at Jefferson-Morgan High School. 鈥淚 remember when he got it. He was so happy.鈥�
Coss coached under George Messich at Mapletown and the two quickly became close friends.
鈥淐had coached with me, and I can鈥檛 tell you how many years, but we were really close friends,鈥� said Messich. 鈥淲e had a cabin in Elk County and he would come up for trout season. We were always around each other.鈥�
Messich said he was told Coss was having trouble breathing Monday morning and was taken to the hospital, where he collapsed and was later pronounced dead.
鈥淐had was a lot of fun,鈥� Messich said. 鈥淗e was just a happy person. I told my wife Linda that if I had a problem and called him, he鈥檇 come over in 15 minutes. He was about as good of a first-class person as you could find.鈥�
As a coach, Messich said Coss was tough on his players but they loved him.
鈥淭he kids knew he cared about them,鈥� Messich said. 鈥淗e wanted to see them perform at the top of their ability. He cared about the kids and wanted them all to be successful.
鈥淭he whole community is going to miss him. He was one of the nicest persons you were ever going to meet in your life.鈥�
Coss took over at Waynesburg when Russ Moore left.
鈥淗e meant a lot to the community,鈥� said Moore. 鈥淗e was involved in so many things.鈥�
Moore remembers how he lured Coss to Waynesburg from Maoletown. Moore needed a defensive coordinator and told Coss he didn鈥檛 anticipate a long stay at Waynesburg this time around.
鈥淗e loved that job,鈥� Moore said. 鈥淔rom what I鈥檝e been reading on Facebook and Twitter, he was a players鈥� coach. He was a Waynesburg kid who was coming home.鈥�
Coss compiled a 5-23 record in his three years at Waynesburg but expectations were high for next season with much young talent ready to blossom.
鈥淗e was too young, too young,鈥� said Moore. 鈥淟ast year, it was (W&J assistant) Todd Young, a good friend of mine. It seems like it鈥檚 always the good guys. He did anything he could to make it easier on me. That was the type of guy he was.鈥�