Lunch with some of the greatest football coaches
Once again, I had the pleasure of having lunch with some of the greatest football coaches in WPIAL history.
The luncheon was the brainchild of good friend, Bill Priatko, and we had a third gathering just recently at Grand View Golf Club in North Braddock, and it was even bigger and better the third time around.
Once again, I was in the presence of football royalty. When I sat down for lunch, nine coaches, past and present, were seated at the table. Between them they had garnered a total of 47 WPIAL football titles, one Catholic League championship and eight PIAA championships.
The coaches who attended include current head coaches Jim Render of Upper St. Clair (5 WPIAL titles), George Novak of Woodland Hills (6 WPIAL titles). Two more current coaches attended their first luncheon: Bob Palko of West Allegheny (7 WPIAL titles) and Mike Zmijanac of Aliquippa (6 WPIAL titles).
Also attending were retired grid mentors Chuck Klausing, who coached Braddock from 1954 through 1959, where his teams won an unprecedented six consecutive WPIAL championships. His six teams at Braddock went 54-0-1 during that time span and broke the national undefeated record set by Massillon, Washington High School.
Pete Antimarino, who coached Gateway High School for 32 years, was back for the affair. He posted a record of 236-80-12 and a .725 winning percentage, with five WPIAL titles. Former Jeanette High School and Greensburg Central Catholic coach Joe Mucci was present. He compiled a record of 184-48-5 in 31 years. Mucci won three WPIAL football championships at Jeanette and one Catholic League crown at Greensburg Central Catholic. Former Clairton and Gateway coach Tom Nola (6 WPIAL titles) was in attendance.
Added to the mix this year was Beaver High School coaching great Pat Tarquinio, who coached the Bobcats for 34 seasons. Tarquinio鈥檚 career record (he spent seven seasons at Ellwood City prior to coming to Beaver) is 269-143-11, one of the top marks in WPIAL history. He captured three WPIAL titles at Beaver.
Two special guest attendees were former football official Chuck 鈥楢ce鈥� Heberling, who was WPIAL Executive Director for 22 years, and former star Pitt running back Lou 鈥楤imbo鈥� Cecconi, who was a running back on Donora鈥檚 great undefeated 1945 team that was voted the best team in WPIAL history.
High school football season is almost here and teams are gearing up for the upcoming season. The coaches who are still prowling the sideline weighed in on some current high school football issues.
First and foremost was discussion of the PIAA expansion to six classifications, which had a big impact on the WPIAL.
鈥淭he eastern part of the state is was their deal to do this I believe,鈥� Zmijanac offered. 鈥淭hey are the ones who motivated this whole thing. Of course they want to run everything, so this was part of their deal to do that. For us I don鈥檛 know how much is going to change, but it鈥檚 still us playing each other. So up until the time you start the playoffs. It鈥檚 still us playing each other up until the time you start the state playoffs, I don鈥檛 see that it鈥檚 such a big deal.鈥�
鈥淚n all actuality I didn鈥檛 voice an opinion one way or the other,鈥� Render stated. 鈥淕oing back to what Coach Zmijanac was saying about the east, when I was involved in the Coaches Association 10 years ago, and this subject came up, what they said was numerically we can鈥檛 just increase it by one. If your going to increase it, it鈥檚 got to go 5A and 6A. The east drove some of that, of course, they鈥檝e got all the big schools. We鈥檝e been as far west as you could go, then we went as far north as you could go, and originally we were in the old Western Conference, and we were south, and lately we鈥檝e been east. I just sit there and wait to see what happens.鈥�
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if they got the intended results of making it fair as far as how many boys are in this school and how many are in that school,鈥� Palko said. 鈥淵ou would think doing that would bridge the gap a little bit. I think we have to wait and see, but still what鈥檚 the difference when you鈥檝e got these private schools that can basically recruit. It still doesn鈥檛 make it fair. A private school like Erie Cathedral Prep just shuts their numbers off and they can be what ever classification they want to be. It is watered down in some classifications, that鈥檚 what the WPIAL did to keep it the WPIAL. It鈥檚 watered down at the Double A level.鈥�
Not all the WPIAL championship games will be played at Heinz Field, that isn鈥檛 as big a deal as you might think.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great place to play at Heinz Field,鈥� Palko said. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 not necessary, and you get 17 minutes to warm up before a game.鈥�
鈥淲hy don鈥檛 you ask me if I鈥檇 rather win a WPIAL at Martorelli Stadium or lose one at Heinz Field?鈥� Render opined. 鈥淚鈥檇 rather win one at Martorelli.鈥�
The concussion issue is a continuing question.
鈥淚 still teach and it鈥檚 a problem not only in athletics, but just with students,鈥� Palko said. 鈥淗ead injuries have been a part of athletics forever. It鈥檚 just been brought to light now, but now it鈥檚 with everything. It鈥檚 a major deal even with regular students not athletes because you鈥檝e got to make all these accommodations with kids that say they hit their head. They don鈥檛 take tests, they don鈥檛 go to school. There are a lot of accommodations being made now because of it. I don鈥檛 say it鈥檚 right or wrong it鈥檚 just different.鈥�
A highlight of the luncheon was a phone call from Hall of Fame defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau now with the Tennessee Titans.
LeBeau told the coaches 鈥淚鈥檓 proud of your accomplishments and all you have done for high school football. I love you guys.鈥�
The coaches enjoyed the camaraderie and exchange of ideas.
鈥淵ou pick up things from other coaches,鈥� Render said. 鈥淭he way they do things, it鈥檚 great to exchange ideas.鈥�
You probably couldn鈥檛 do this with a group of basketball coaches,鈥� Zmijanac quipped.
鈥淚 would have crawled on my hands and knees to be here with these guys,鈥� Heberling stated. 鈥淭his was a great gathering.鈥�
George Von Benko鈥檚 鈥淢emory Lane鈥� column appears in the Monday editions of the 缅北禁地. He also hosts a sports talk show on WMBS-AM radio from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.