State Championship Trifecta - Coaches Chalk Talk

This episode is a little longer than usual but well worth the listen. "Coach" Smith sits down with each of the three Section IV State Championship Coaches and shares some very enlightening and insightful conversations, you won't find anywhere else. 

This is also our final episode for the 2021 Section IV Football Season. We finally got to experience a traditional football season again. It felt Great!

This podcast was established to maximize your Section IV Football experience, regardless of your role, past or present. The goal, with your help, was to maintain a family-friendly, informative, entertaining weekly podcast with an occasional dose of appropriate humor. I believe we accomplished this goal, with your help.

This podcast took you beyond the microphone, with in-depth analysis and insight, bringing all resources together for your benefit. This podcast complemented all those who cover, report, support and enjoy Section IV Football.

Thank you Everyone Section IV Football.

The Cover IV Podcast is brought to you by TDS Performance Improvement
60% of first-time leaders fail. TDS Performance Improvement prevents these failures by verifying often-overlooked prerequisites. To see if you have the leadership prerequisites, visit tdspi.com, click the Let’s have a conversationbutton and schedule your free, informative conversation.

Visit the Cover IV Podcast Website to stay informed and get involved.

Transcript

Copy Transcript Copied

SPEAKER_02 0:11

If you're a section for football fans, if you're a section four podcasts, I'm coaching. The Cover Four Podcast is brought to you by TDS Performance Improvement. Sixty percent of first-time leaders fail. TDS Performance Improvement prevents these failures by verifying often overlooked prerequisites. To see if you have the leadership prerequisites, visit TDSPI.com. That's TDSPI.com. Click the Let's Have a Conversation button and schedule your free informative conversation. Today's episode will be a coach's chalk talk with the three Section 4 State Championship coaches. I want to begin with congratulations to the three Section 4 State Championship Football Communities. ShenangoForks Blue Devils, coached by Dave Hogan, the Maine Anwell Spartans, coached by Matt Gallagher, and the Tioga Tigers, coached by Nick Ayalo. In addition to being exceptional football programs, all three of these teams demonstrated good sportsmanship. That's not just the result of good athletic coaching. It begins with the student athletes' first coach, their parents or guardians. Well done. I want to also wish the other 37 Section 4 football communities best wishes and thank you to the seniors and wish you well, regardless of where life's journey takes you. Before we begin, I'd like to share with you a New York state level perspective of how well represented Section 4 has been since 1993 when the state playoffs first began. That's 28 seasons, not counting 2020. With these three state championships, Section 4 now has the third most state championships by a section with 24. Seventeen of the 24 by these four teams. Four of the six classifications, number one is from Section Four. The three obvious Mainland Welsh and Angle Forks and Tioga. But in the eight player classification, Spencer Vinette and Cander tied for first. In the three state championship games, the total combined score was 69 to 12. That's a 19-point average margin of victory, just over a three-touchdown margin. At that level, at this time of the year, that's good stuff. The Section 4 trifecta is the first time Section 4 has won three state titles in the same season. Sections two and five also accomplished this, and Section Six has won four twice. Now on to the coaches chalk talk. Our guest today is Matt Gallagher, head football coach at Maine Anwell. Welcome, coach. Hi, how are you, coach? How's it going? Good. Hey, thanks for joining us. We appreciate it. And congratulations to you, the team, and the whole Maine Anwell football community on winning another state championship.

SPEAKER_01 3:46

Well, we really appreciate it. Uh yeah, it felt great. Uh, you know, after uh a couple of years off, uh come coming back and uh, you know, and getting the job done, uh it it really felt satisfying this time around.

SPEAKER_02 4:00

Yeah, and it's not like you wanted to take those years off. There's there's things that happen, like that other team that kind of gets in your way sometimes.

SPEAKER_01 4:08

Yeah, that is that is true. Um, you know, and and obviously you're talking about forks and uh, you know, Dave Hogan, Coach Hogan and his staff just do a fantastic job every year or so. Um, you know, and it just happened to be, you know, we've kind of battled back and forth over the last seven or eight years, and it just happened to, you know, sometimes we get the upper hand and uh sometimes they do, and they just happen to get the upper hand. Uh unfortunately for us, uh, the years that they were in the same uh class as us. So uh, but this year we were able to uh play, which was great, which I think we both got better, and then we were both able to go to uh different classes and uh end up winning the states together. So it was pretty nice.

SPEAKER_02 4:51

Yeah, it really is. And uh you those two teams you mentioned, yours and uh Shenango Forks, when you guys do compete against each other and and it's in the same class, it really prepares you when you get to the state level. I mean, if you guys get past each other, it's usually not that it's easier, but you've already had stiff competition before you even get to the state level. So I think that's why uh the section four does so well when they get to the state level.

SPEAKER_01 5:18

Yeah, I agree. Um, you know, it's not only uh you know, Forks is not only a tough team, but it's a team that has been there. It's a team that's uh you know, uh they're not just a team, I should say the program, right? So lots of times when you play good teams, you feel okay about it because they may not have been in that situation too many times, but when you're playing a a a good program, it's it it's it really is a different story. Um, especially when you're playing in the playoffs and uh you're playing in uh at the big stage. Those those types of things really come into play, I think. Uh the fact that playing a good team is uh is definitely a lot different than playing a good program.

SPEAKER_02 6:00

Exactly. And I know last Saturday was a special day, coach, but what uh what's significant about today?

SPEAKER_01 6:08

Oh uh well uh actually we just found out this today is uh uh the county name today, Main Animal Football Day, which is kind of which is kind of special. Um Jason Garner came over to our school today and presented a nice little banner to our to our uh our players. Um, and that was a nice surprise. So uh, you know, it's just something that I think uh the kids will always remember.

SPEAKER_02 6:32

Yeah, and that that's cool stuff. Now, do you guys get uh like keys to Broome County for the day? Get to go anywhere you want free and eat, that kind of stuff, or is it just a declaration?

SPEAKER_01 6:43

I think it might be just a declaration because I it would be it'd be scary to have those guys go and eat somewhere for free.

SPEAKER_02 6:49

Somebody's gonna lose some money.

SPEAKER_01 6:50

That's for sure. That is for sure.

SPEAKER_02 6:53

That's good stuff. Hey, one thing I want to tell you, your season actually demonstrated perfectly a statement that I close out each podcast with, and that's in football and life, it's not where we line up, it's where we wind up. And how I'm leading into that is you really had some adversity relatively early in your season. I think it was the second or third game where you lost one of your uh student athletes, Jordan Owens, and then followed that up the following week. You actually lost the game to Unit Endicott, and then you obviously regrouped and ran the table for your sixth state championship. Take us through that little bit of adversity and how you would address you assessed that and how you addressed that and corrected that as a coach.

SPEAKER_01 7:35

Well, I think that's that might have been maybe the turning point of our season. Well, obviously, Jordan going down. You can't replace somebody like Jordan. Uh, you know, not only just his his talent, but the type of kid he is. So um, but you know, a tribute to him as far as him being on the you know at practice as much as he could right after you know, after that, you know, in the in the coming weeks before he got his surgery and things like that. That's just the type of kid he was. So he was there trying to get you know the other guys ready that were were gonna end up taking his spot. So um, but as a whole group, um, I thought the way that they responded after you know, after the UE game, um, I think that week, uh, just the way that they all came together and understood what it now what it was gonna take for us to to get the job done, and the job being uh what our goal was from the beginning, you know, and that is to win the state championship. So they and the way that they just rallied and the way that they uh kind of came together. I know that's I know that's like you hear that all the time, but I think that that week was significant because they understood, okay, we have to get back to basics, we have to start understanding that um, you know, every single rep and every single practice and every single week matters. And and we and we talk about that all the time, right? Don't waste a rep. Don't waste a rep. Whatever you do, make sure it's a rep meaning, um, a repetition in practice and and making sure that every single play that we run, every single sprint that we do, that they're getting better. And, you know, that they leave practice better than when they came, not only as an individual, but you know, more importantly, as a team. And I think that they really kind of grasp that. Um, you know, that's what we always talk about, but sometimes it takes a little bit of a you know, uh an uppercut, uh, so to speak, to to really open your eyes. And I think that's exactly what happened. Um you know, Coach Bellino did a great job of getting his team ready to play us, and and uh and from that point on, I think that really helped us along the way.

SPEAKER_02 9:41

Yeah, and I think and I've coached enough uh of student athletes where not that I want them to lose, but I want them to taste adversity, and preferably if you're gonna do that, if it ideally earlier in the season, so that they can learn from that. I always was a little bit nervous going into a situation, usually it was with basketball, if you get to a maybe a championship round and you haven't really been pushed or even lost a game, and you don't know how they're these young student athletes are gonna react to that. So I you know, when you I don't call it losing, I say you win a game or you learn, you know, and you move on. But I think that's that goes a long way for not only in football, but in life in general, because you're gonna get whacked around sometimes. Life is not always gonna be rosy, and sometimes that makes you and usually does make you a better person.

SPEAKER_01 10:33

Yeah, and I think that's exactly what happened to our entire team, and uh they understood that you know, and then we talked about the fact that, you know, now guys that were role players, now you are gonna become much more significant role players, and some of you guys that were significant role players, you're gonna become the man. We call it the man at your particular position because and we always talk about uh that yeah, there are some guys that can go in there and get a uh a toss sweep, like a running around the end, and they can be really good at that. But when they have to go in there and be, you know, on their best, you know, their best game, play after play after play, and and have to block and have to go in motion at the correct time and and understand all the different checks, which means changing the play and things like that. That's a different, that's a different story than just going in there and getting a couple of plays here and there. So, and that that's what the great thing was. Everybody that kind of had to step up, they stepped up into that next tier of role that they had to now become. And when the whole team did it, it kind of clicked for us.

SPEAKER_02 11:41

Yeah, and and not only is it the the physical demand, the the emotional and cognitive uh input or recognizing what I have to do is a little more strength. So a lot of them can handle it physically pretty good. It's just now that emotional thing where I've got to be keyed up now. It's that controlled or uh you know, uh controlled aggression. And it's not just one or two plays and I'm out of there. I'm I'm in here for a whole series. Oh, by the way, I'm on the punt, the punt return. Yeah, so it kind of does rattle them a little bit mentally to get focused in, and that's a good thing. And I actually saw it firsthand. This is back when I was first doing your uh games broadcasting. I believe the fullback's name was Story, and he had got injured because I remember because he wore 42. That was the number I wore. He went down early on. It was I don't know if it was the first game or it was very early in your season, and you brought in a young student athlete named Wolfhook. And I I knew what you were bringing in because I coached his dad at the semi-pro level, and I knew the kind of uh student athlete that he probably is. His dad was a super athlete, very quiet, but boy, would he rip you. Um, yeah, I when I saw him come in, I saw the first time he ran like a jet sweep into what ended up being like a wham block. I'm like to Roger, I said that's illegal. That kid coming down the line with with that kind of aggression and whamming on that defensive end or who happened to be on the edge of the formation. So I'd seen it a couple of times, and that's an attribute to your program. It's it's not just the student athlete himself, but it's the program and the next student athlete up kind of mentality. So that's that's what each one of you, when I say each one of you, each one of you uh coaches that have won the state championship this year. You look at them, and bottom line, you all have good programs. You know, you've got a lot of young student athletes in the pipeline waiting to, I can't wait to wear that uniform and you know get up there and do those kind of things. So that's good. So and I know that helps with uh them, it helps with the community, everything. It kind of ripple up ripples out in a positive way throughout the community. That's good stuff.

SPEAKER_01 13:42

Yeah, it is. Uh, and you're right. Uh, we always talk about um systems too, like like Tyoga has a system, Forks has a system, we have a system, and it's not just the program itself, but it's what we run, and the and it's run throughout all of our youth and our modified and our JV, and you know, it pays off, it pays off, and um, you know, and that's why when you are playing a T uh a school that has a good program, it's a little bit scarier than you're playing a team that uh a school that has a good team that year. Um, and that's why uh you know you have to be on the lookout for those teams.

SPEAKER_02 14:17

Yeah, absolutely. Now I got a um a question for you. We really we all will all, I think all of us realize how important uh every play is, okay, whether it's a play or a series. But in your championship game this past weekend, what do you feel was the most pack impactful either series or plays in terms of the overall impact of the outcome of your game?

SPEAKER_04 14:43

Hmm.

SPEAKER_01 14:44

Uh there was a there was a depth, there was definitely a couple of them. I uh I well you it has to be the well, one of them has to be the fact that uh how we responded um on the kickoff right after they returned the punt. Um, you know, that could have been you know, that could have just the way that because they had the momentum. Oh boy, they came out and they were they were ready to go. Uh their coach did a great job of of of game planning against us that they realized they couldn't run against us and they were through the ball, which was great for them, not so much for us. Uh, but uh um but and then of course they they you know they stopped us and then they return the they re turn a punt for a touchdown. Um, you know, I think then Michael bringing it back. Uh if you if you watch that film though, uh you know, he got hit, someone touched his foot, but that's about it. You know what I mean? Uh uh he if you watch every guy was on somebody, you know, and that that in itself, that the that total, that total team response right there, we know it wasn't just you know, Michael's Michael, but it wasn't just Michael, it was all 10 other guys out there blocking for him. And I think you know that got us, that got us up. And then, you know, of course, us making the extra point and them missing both of theirs, which was big. Um, you know, and then I also thought uh you know, so I also thought um us coming out at half and scoring on our first drive was big. Um, us marching down and scoring because that that kind of really, you know, that gave us the lead. It it kind of let them know, okay, we're, you know, now now main animal is going to be hopefully the main animal of old, you know, just running the ball, uh, taking time off the clock, you know, and then, you know, and then finishing it off, which was even more important. Um and then I also think a big, big play was the it was like fourth and like 16, and they threw a pass and and uh they got they actually got like 15 yards. And we we stopped them like with like one yard before the you know before the yard to get you know to land the gain. And uh they that was like within that was inside our 30, I think. And I think that might have been right after we just had scored. Um, and then that allowed us to get the ball back and then chew off about seven minutes worth of clock. You know, we didn't score that that that that uh that drive, but I think the wit the the the amount of time that we took off the clock was key after that stop. You know, and if you look at it, those are those are three different plays uh, you know, in all three different, you know, parts of the game, you know, and and I think that helped us in the long run. Um, special teams was huge for us this entire year, and they were it was obviously gigantic in that game. Like I said, them missing the extra point, us stopping them on a two-point conversion, us bringing a kickoff back, and then us making all three of our extra points, you know, all that stuff, you know, kind of adds up in the long run. And um, you know, we came on top, I think, a lot because of that.

SPEAKER_02 17:43

Definitely. And then the kickoffs are usually demoralizing because you as a team have just scored whether it's a you know a field goal uh or a touchdown, and now we're ready to kick off and zoom, they run it all the way back, and that that really takes the wind out of some teams, and also what you were alluded to a couple of different times there is actually a game of keep away. You have the ball on offense, you're running it, you're keeping the clock moving, you're moving the chains, so you're staying, you know, in sync with the chains, and that's keeping the ball away from the other team. So that a lot of people think that while you have a a really long drive, we're ahead, but we you know we turn over on downs at their 20. Well, you've you've eaten up seven or eight minutes of the clock, which is huge, you know. And um, sometimes at this level, a lot of student athletes are playing both ways, so you do you just may have exhausted some of their uh the you know their guys up front, you know, maybe some of their ball handling position guys. So that maybe if you don't score, but still you're pushing on them and making them defensive, but the clock's ticking and you're running the ball. And hey, we got the lead, by the way. So yeah, that's that's all good stuff. Coach, got a question for you. Why did you get into the coaching profession?

SPEAKER_01 18:54

Um, well, you know, it was a lot of it was because you know, I knew I was wanted to be a teacher, and uh of course, and I knew I wanted to be a coach just because my my whole family was about sports. Um, I'm one of seven, I'm number six of the of seven. Um, so you know, we were all uh all about sports throughout our whole life growing up. And you know, we always went to all the different games, and I was always I was younger, so I always went to see my older brothers and sister play, uh sisters play. So um I don't know, it just kind of it gave me that feeling, uh, you know, I knew it would be rewarding, and then I knew how some of the coaches felt uh that coached me. Um, you know, that part of it is all the I guess the uh the fluffy stuff. But in all honesty, it's because uh it was a way I knew that it would keep me in in the competition part of it. I just loved competition. I loved I love being competitive. Um, you know, and then uh I love the chess match of of of coaching. I love the of the the trying to outdoel the other the other the other coach, and whether whether it's coaching wrestling or whether it's coaching football or any sort of coaching, uh, you know, and you know, you can put as much time in as you want. And I think that's a big important part of that. And uh, and that just kind of drives my competitiveness. And I knew I wouldn't be able to do it forever, so I figured, you know, as far as play, play, so I figured, you know, coaching would be the best way to kind of uh get the best of both worlds, you know, try to uh give back to what people gave me, but then at the same time still keep that competitive fire.

SPEAKER_02 20:40

Yeah, absolutely. And coaching, I came from a coaching family myself, and I know that the the coaching profession impacts more people uh throughout the course of lifetime than any other profession, because you have, depending on the sport that you're coaching, so many student athletes there that you're you know, you are uh you're impacting positively over X number of seasons. And then if you're a multiple sport coach, you know, that that ratchets up a little bit. But yeah, it's a it's a great profession, and that's what I wanted to do. My dad was a phys ed teacher, you know, a track coach, football coach. And I wanted to get into the the uh coaching ranks myself. But when I graduated high school, uh the coaching ranks back home in Elmira were saturated. Um teaching ranks were saturated, I should say. So I went a different route, but I obviously I stayed close to the you know the professional stuff. But I think I coming at the same way you do, and I think most coaches do. I think very few, you know, I think sometimes coaches have a um what I want to say, they're looked a bad stereotype at some point. Well, he's just in it for himself. You can tell by the way he talks this. That's so it's such a small part. I mean, I think that for most part, coaches, and especially coaches with longevity like yourself, why would you want to be in it for 10, 12, 13 or more years if you don't really Enjoy it. You know what I mean? I know. So that's that I think that's such a a minor uh number. Okay, what what aspect of coaching do you find most rewarding?

SPEAKER_01 22:12

Uh you know, to be honest, when when something is executed perfectly, um, and I think it's a because especially in football, because all 11 guys have to do it. Um and but even when I'm you know coaching wrestling, even when you see somebody do something perfectly, you know, and they you know, it's because they put the time in and you know they they they listened and and they they wanted to try to learn and and they and they push themselves to usually exhaustion too, right? To they push themselves to exhaustion, um and then they they executed it to to perfectly. Uh and I I think that that's that's super rewarding because you know, not only do you see them doing it, executing it perfectly, but at the same time, somewhere along the line, hopefully you gave them some sort of influence that they knew that they had to work so hard to make sure that they could go out there and do it that way. Um you know, so they're and and I think eventually, you know, leaders, you know, become leaders because you know, they're it's not because you're you're making them that way. They they just kind of understand what it takes because they see what's going on, and then hopefully they begin they can become leaders that way.

SPEAKER_02 23:30

Absolutely. I I think a lot of it is what I call aha moments when you get the young student athletes that they really don't know what they don't know. And I'll give you an example. I had a young student athlete who was playing linebacker for us, and he would he was very aggressive, very fast, and he would run right when they were doing a sweep. He was running past what would be the cutback lane, and they were cutting back on us and and at various times and just you know, eating our lunch, right? So then I explained to him what he had to do, how he kind of trails that back a little bit because you got all your other teammates out there, and you want to make sure that that cutback lane is taken care of. Then he started having what I call train wrecks in the alley where he would actually the the back would cut back and he was in the in the shoot. I call like if you got a you got players on both sides of you, you can really uh have a forceful tackle because you don't have to really worry about the being faked out left or right because they're in a shoot. And I can remember he came over and he goes, Coach, wow, he goes, I didn't realize that. So that was that was one of those aha moments that yeah, and I think it sort of talks to what you're talking about because once they execute it, it's like wow, this really works. Plus, coach knows what he's talking about, you know, yeah, it really does work. And I can remember my dad told me he had the um he coached Ernie Davis in high school, and he told me Ernie was such um a superior student athlete, but he's really good person. And I mean, he would he was that guy that worked really hard. You know, some student athletes may look at him like, why are you doing that? You know, but he was like, I remember one time he told me uh there was tryouts. One of the student athletes coming out had never been out before, and he had put his shoulder pads on backwards, and the kids were laughing and stuff. And Ernie says, Don't laugh at him. So Ernie went over and he he helped them get his shoulder pads on, you know, the right way and whatnot. So I think just by he didn't have to by him doing that action, he was a leader, but he was one of those student athletes that had the ability but worked really, really hard. And uh it's nice to see those kind of things. And you know, every now and then you'll get somebody to come back and say, Hey coach, how you doing? Remember this? Or I had a certain term I would use, and he they rattle the term off, and it's great things. But I think if you demonstrate that you truly care about them and you listen, you're listening to them, and you really want to help them because it's you guys are all in it together, it's not me and you, it's we're we, you know, so that's that's pretty good stuff. One last question, and I'll ask you a little bit about USA football. What guidance would you give any young student athlete that comes up and says, Hey, Coach Gallagher, I'm thinking about getting in the coaching profession. What do you think?

SPEAKER_01 26:17

Um I would definitely say be there, be visible. And I think that is I think that's underrated. I really do. I think you have to be everywhere. And um and I think that's extremely important. Um you know, and I and I I tell my boys who's been have been doing a little bit of coaching themselves that you know, be there, be visible, and be there first. Um, and I think that's you know, I know it's so simple, but I think right from the get-go, and you might have you just mentioned it too, they know you care. You know, you're always there, you're always there first, you're always prepared. Um, you're always there greeting them when they walk in the door. And, you know, that gives you a chance to say hi to each of them individually and talk to them about something that has nothing to do with whatever the sport it is that you're coaching. Um, you know, you may not get at get to every player that day, but eventually, you know, in a short period of time, you're gonna get a chance to talk to everybody continually about more you know, more things than just uh the game of football or or whatever it might be. So um I think that is so, so, so important. And I know um I tell anybody that coaches with with us that that that that's what you know we kind of expect here at Mainewell. Um, you know, and that goes from being the head coach to being an assistant, uh, because you know, obviously the kids look to the assistance that they should anyway, just like they would to to the head coach as far as being able to go to them and and uh know that that you know the coach is going to be there at all times. So um I know it's a small thing, but in my mind, it's it's a it's a huge, it's a huge thing just absolutely hold there and be there first. Yeah, what you're talking about is so which means that if you were to if you were going into the if you were going into the coaching profession, that you would have to be super committed and and you can't go you can't do it halfway, you can't you can't fool kids. Uh kids see right through everything. Um, so there's no way if you're not committed, the kids will know it.

SPEAKER_02 28:29

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 28:30

And so they don't really care how much you know, you know, right.

SPEAKER_02 28:33

They don't care how much you know until they know how much you care, right? And the other thing is what you're talking about is that's true with presence, your presence, you're talking a lot of it's what you're talking about. That's body language. You don't have to say anything, but you're communicating hugely by being there, always on time, always being prepared, knowing what the next thing is to do, what they need to work on. Uh, you're talking to them, you know, those kind of things. So a lot of it is just really boils down to body language, and you are communicating with that. And that is, like you said, that is absolutely huge. And when people get that, people in leadership roles get that. Because I coach people uh in business, especially first-time leaders. That's one of the biggest things I talk about is your body language. It needs to match what you're talking about. If your words don't match your actions, you got problems. Um so, coach, tell us a little bit about your involvement with USA football and some of the things that uh they're improving on for the game.

SPEAKER_01 29:30

Uh yeah, well, um, I guess I got into it maybe, I don't know, close to 10 years ago now. Um, and I'm in I'm what they call a master trainer. Uh there's, I don't know, maybe 50 to 100 across the country. Um, we've been uh fortunate enough to travel across the country and um, you know, meet, you know, meet with such great coaches, not only here in this area, but across, you know, across the country. Uh and you know, with USA football, just try to spread um knowledge uh about the game to make it safer, you know, as far as uh, you know, from just equipment fitting to uh concussion protocols to you know the the proper tackling now, the proper running, oh no, everything, you know, proper stretching and heat and hydration and just all those types of things. And you know, it's even trying to, it's even swinging a little bit more towards now, um, actually looking at more of the coach type of thing, practice planning and making sure that that's set. Because then once that is, and you know, and then understanding, like I said, how to tackle and how to put the progression together so kids at young ages can understand it, you know, what they have to do. And then as they you know, as they get older, then you know, more and more steps get put into the process. So um, and I think USA football is doing a great job with it. Um and I know it it's working. I mean, I know this past year that um our youth program at Mainewell, we didn't have one single concussion. Wow. Um, and that's something that we're sure we're super proud of. Um, and and we've, you know, we had six, you know, we had two teams of flag, we had two teams of the middles and we had two teams of the uppers. So we had six teams out there running around week in and week out, practicing in the games. And um, you know, we didn't have any concussions. So that's uh that's that's hats off to the coaching, the coaches that we have in our community, the fathers that have stepped up and put the time in to get USA football certified to go through all those, you know, those um uh all that training and then get out on that field and and do the best they can. And obviously it's it's paying off because I know it pays off for these kids being safe, and then it also pays off for us in the upper levels when we get these kids that number one want to play, they come back year after year, and number two, they're super prepared, and then it it it kind of pays off at the end, as we found out last weekend.

SPEAKER_02 31:57

Yeah, absolutely. And I I know that um back in the day when you you didn't really have the programs, they were kind of almost separate, like the varsity run this, and the JV coaches would run what they want to. At the end of the season, you know, you'd bring up a uh a student athlete from the JVs, and they couldn't really be put in the game because they didn't know the terminology, they didn't know that the alignment, the assignments, things like that. You know, so for a program, I mean, you could bring somebody up from uh JVs and a true program, and you pretty much can plug them in and they're good to go. There may be some little nuances you got to tweak, but they understand formation, uh philosophy, uh, all those kind of important things. And uh really that that's another benefit because you don't want to waste the student athlete's time coming up, although it's good for the young ones to come up, but you want to have them really have an opportunity to get in and play. You get in that level and you start getting whacked around a little bit, like, whoa, it's a little bit different. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The speed of the game is a little different. Oh, hello. Okay. But listen, coach, uh, this is great uh information. And I again appreciate you sharing the time with us. And again, congratulations to you, the team, and the whole uh main NW football community. Uh, you really are demonstrating, you know, not only you know how to win football games, but there's so much more that goes into that, and uh, you know, a lot of outside the lines kind of stuff. So unless you got anything, Coach, I'm gonna let you go because I know you got your mind wrapped around wrestling right now, and you got you gotta go do that.

SPEAKER_01 33:30

Yeah, yeah. Um, yeah, I'm looking forward to it, you know, ending the season like we did last weekend. Um, you know, now I'm super pumped for wrestling. Uh, you know, because now uh, you know, switching gears as far as that concerned, you know, Monday we start up uh again in the weight room for football. Uh we'll be back in there. We give them a week off. Win or lose, we'll give them a week off, and then we're back in after.

SPEAKER_02 33:51

You give them a week off? That's a that's way too long.

SPEAKER_01 33:54

Yeah, no, I'm getting sick of my old age.

SPEAKER_02 33:58

They should have been in there Sunday.

SPEAKER_01 33:59

Yeah, you're right. Some of them wanted to be though, so that's that's that's a good thing. Yeah, it is. Um no, and now it's time to, you know, the the wrestlers have been fantastic these last three weeks as far as you know, move you know, we practiced, but they moved the times, you know, and they knew we had to move the times, so we so those guys have been dedicated to the uh to the football program as well. And uh the wrestlers, you know, I can't speak enough about them too for doing that. So now it's you know, it's it's all uh all eyes on them working hard, and uh at the same time we'll get uh lifted in there for football too. But uh um it's gonna be fun. I know that.

SPEAKER_02 34:35

Wasn't that your collegiate sport, like a Wagner, wasn't it?

SPEAKER_01 34:39

Yes, I wrestled, yeah. I wrestled in college. I did, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 34:42

Yeah, okay. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, that's uh that's a quite a sport. My uh my dad competed in that football wrestling and lacrosse, I did think of college, and he he was all about wrestling, and then I didn't want anything to do with it. I was a basket, I was a basketball guy.

SPEAKER_01 34:57

Yeah, that's well, that's why I got out of it because my three boys played basketball, and I I knew if I was coaching wrestling, I'd missed all their games, so that's why I got out of uh coaching wrestling.

SPEAKER_02 35:06

So yeah, he had me in so many pretzels and different things. I don't know what hit me, but I knew I didn't want that for somebody that was doing it for real. Yeah, right, exactly. All right, coach. Hey, thank you very much. Appreciate it. No, no, thank you for having me on. I really do appreciate it. Our guest today is Coach Dave Hogan, the head football coach at Shenango Forks. Welcome, coach.

SPEAKER_05 35:32

Thank you, glad to be here.

SPEAKER_02 35:34

We appreciate uh having you on. And hey, we're gonna start off with congratulations to you, the team, and the whole Shenango Forks football community on winning another state championship.

SPEAKER_05 35:46

I appreciate that a great deal. Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 35:49

In your season, uh, you started right off the first game um with what I call a little bit of adversity. But let me tell you, in the next five games, and I'm gonna put this in perspective, you really turned that ship around big time. The next five games, you outscored your opponents 207 to two, 207 to two. That's like video game stuff, and then you ran the table to your seven state championship. That is excellent stuff. What do you uh uh what do you attribute that ability to turn the ship around that quick?

SPEAKER_05 36:25

Well, I mean, I think that I mean, one of the first things we said, we actually said this after the game that evening, that we won, we have won state titles with with with a loss. And in fact, we did it for three years in a row. And um, you know, it I think I think uh you know, kids need to hear that kind of stuff. I s and I did say afterward, I go, I'm not telling you that we're gonna win a state title. I'm just saying that that's not, you know, we this happens, you know. You you we got to be able to bounce back from that. And um, you know, and and to our kids' credit, they absolutely did. Uh week two was a little bit better, and I thought by week three, I thought we started to is we started to pick things up a little bit.

SPEAKER_02 37:04

Yeah, when you outscore, you know, opponents over five games 207 to two, you got some things going your way. Yeah, I don't I don't even know if you recall how how they got a um safety on you.

SPEAKER_05 37:18

Uh they did they got a safety uh uh we had like a like a goal line stand uh in and it was Oniana and um maybe I think our kid tackle if it was probably about the one yard line. All right, Zach Hibbert made the tackle, and our our second O came out. We ran a play and right in the backfield, it wasn't even close.

SPEAKER_02 37:38

We never came close to getting out of the end zone, or it would have been 207 to nothing, probably.

SPEAKER_05 37:43

Yeah, yeah, that's right. So uh no.

SPEAKER_02 37:46

That's look that happens. Yep, and that's sure it does. You know, people will say football teaches you life lessons. Well, football and that this is their life now, so it's it's not you know, they're learning great lessons that they're gonna be able to take throughout life. And if you don't win them all, you get whacked around a few times, but if you stay on the path, trust the system, you know, you'll be okay.

SPEAKER_05 38:08

Yeah, no doubt about it. You got to believe in each other, you got to work together, and and all those things, you know. We talk about those things all the time, and and that stuff is is very important. We we we had a couple injuries uh early on, and and we had kids fill in for them, and our kid took them a little bit to get going, but my word, did they get better? And in the end, we told them this too. I said, in the end, if we get everybody back, we're gonna be that much better of a team because of it. And um, you know, our kids buy into that stuff, and I think that that stuff kind of helps. And and and the kids that filled in, uh, one of them was our quarterback. Boy, he got better, he got better every single week. And uh, you know, we're we're just uh we're we're just proud of the way the kids uh you know overcame that stuff.

SPEAKER_02 38:49

Oh, absolutely. What you uh you have a true program there, coach, and and that's synonymous with the other two uh programs at one states this year as well. Because I know from the probably the six or seven years that I was broadcasting with Roger, we love to come to Shenango Forks because the atmosphere was like a small college, you know, you had such uh attendance, but it was the type that very uh intelligent fans and uh not only the the fans themselves, but the you could see it in the youth running around with the jerseys on, and and when you had the youth out on the field and things like that, it really was a cool atmosphere there to be on. And uh actually Roger and I uh picked out a couple of the young student athletes, they must have been elementary school, and we got them on the air at halftime, and it was it was really cool to listen to them, and you know, I think we asked them uh what do you what do you want to be when you uh get older here at in uh advanced in school? Oh, I want to wear the red helmet, you know, and they all knew what it was about. I mean, so you you have a true program with a a pipeline and it's all good positive stuff, and you know, it's it's no surprise that your school is all over the state record books. I you know I was gonna go into some of that stuff, but we don't have time to go down through all of those categories. But I will say there's one significant one. You're now one game away from tying, I think it's Aquinas, with eight for the overall number of state championships, and Maine Enwell's right there, one behind you, and um Tyoga's coming up the ladder as well. So section four is represented very well, very well.

SPEAKER_05 40:28

Yeah, yeah, there's there's no question, no question about that. Uh, I think um that competition's good competition too. Uh uh we we had mentioned before that uh um you know if you can get out of the section, man, you're you're certainly ready to go because that's tough. That's tough to get out of the section in in any of those classes.

SPEAKER_02 40:47

Oh, it sure is. Now we realize that all plays are important, plays and in series for that matter are very important. In the championship game, do you feel there was a most impactful play or series of plays that attributed to your outcome?

SPEAKER_05 41:04

Uh, if we're gonna talk series of plays, uh, and undoubtedly it was our uh our final score. It was uh I think it was like an eight and eight and a half minute drive or something like that, uh, where we, you know, we're keeping the ball away from them. There's lots of reasons why we're keeping the ball away from them. Uh we are wearing them down. Um, you know, we're right, rotating kids in. It's I mean, kids are starting to get tired and stuff like that. But uh the ability to keep the ball for that long and then finish at the end, I believe was key. I mean, that made it 21-0 and it's late in the game now. Um, so I would I would say that that was um, you know, that was certainly the one that started that stood out to me for sure.

SPEAKER_02 41:47

One point that was kind of interesting. I as a former coach kind of watched the game a little bit differently now. There was this a situation where I believe it was number 77, was dinged up and injured or something, and he came off. I think it was number 77. He's pretty large, large student athlete. Well, the student athlete that you put in after him was as big or bigger. And I could I was watching the opponent that he was gonna go line up across from, and he was like almost like, what? You know, so it's kind of interesting to see that dynamic going on. It's yeah, I mean, you probably have guys or student athletes on your bench who could be starting and and playing significant minutes for other programs, you know, but they just they're willing that they they want to do it. But I thought that was a kind of interesting dynamic to watch. It's the kind of the game inside the game.

SPEAKER_05 42:36

Yeah, we we certainly have some big boys uh up front. And that's uh we always stress that's that's where it starts, and there's no doubt that's where and they work very, very hard in the offseason. And that's uh we we are we are not much without those with without those guys up front, that's for sure.

SPEAKER_02 42:51

What do you attribute, coach, the program's continued success over time?

SPEAKER_05 42:58

Well, there's just uh we you know, we do get asked that uh quite often, and uh there's certainly there's so many, there's so many reasons. There's so many things that go into it. Um, you know, ranking them, I and I say this all the time, is is is definitely the kids. I mean, and then you've got to go a step further, say the family of those kids. Um, you know, we're from a fall a small school. I mean, these are the kids that we have. We can't recruit kids or anything. These are the kids we have, and we're so fortunate to have the kids that we have year after year, because you know, once again, we're gonna graduate all these kids again. We got like 14 seniors. A lot of those kids are two-way starters, and uh, we have these kids coming up, and we like the kids that are coming up. Uh, it's uh we just don't know, though, if they're going to pay the price that everybody in the past has and buy into everything that we're, you know, that we're gonna you know suggest to them. And uh so I would say for sure it's the kids first off. Uh, I I mean I certainly don't want to take away anything from our coaching staff. We we have uh I think We have the best uh coaching staff anybody could ever ask for. Um, we got a lot of experience together, we've done this for a long time together. Uh, we have we have uh players that we've coached, you know, and they're on the staff now, uh, so they know what it's all about. And I think that's a huge advantage. But we have off-season programs. I mean, Trent Patterson trains our kids in the summertime. We have a UHS trainer that trains our kids now. There's uh there's just so many things and going on and on. We we do a lot of different things now that we ask them to do in the summertime and late spring after their spring sports done. Um, and the kids do it and and and they do it well and they they buy into it. And you know, um that there's just um there's so there are so many reasons, but I think those are the probably the top things that I can think of.

SPEAKER_02 44:45

Yeah, I think if you could to summer summarize it really is a system that you have, and it's something that that you you know, obviously you believe in and it's paid dividends. And I'm sure you're of character that hey, if there's a some improvements we can make, let's do it, but let's not just go make a wholesale change. Let's let's stay with what's working and tweak it as we go. So that's that's great stuff that works in business as well, and you know, in a professional environment as well. If you you have a system that works, believe in the system, and that's not to say we can't improve the system, you should you know improve the system over time.

SPEAKER_05 45:19

That's that's a really good point. We talk about being lifelong learners. I mean, we're we're the first to admit, you know, as coaches, we don't know everything, and we and and you know, we're always learning. We're all we're always going to clinics, we're always, you know, we we subscribe to all these different uh, you know, these programs and stuff. We're always trying to tweak things to make it better, and uh, because there's always ways, and we always talk about you're either getting better or you're getting worse. We talk about those things, you're living or you're dying. You don't stay the same. So we're we want to keep learning, we want to keep getting better. And uh, you know, the kids should, you know, yeah, I think it helps because you we say that as coaches, then of course we expect the same thing from our kids.

SPEAKER_02 45:56

Sure. And this sounds like a conversation you and I had many years ago at a coaching clinic about this, these these types of things. So yeah, it's it's uh it's not a secret sauce, but it's it's staying with it and and and really, you know, working the system and and going. And one of the things I found because when I was younger, uh a lot of times it really wasn't a conversation with a coach. It was the coach telling you something and you went and did it. Now it's more of a I had um it was more of a two-way dialogue. You know, when I was coaching at the JV level, I we didn't have a lot of coaches around or anybody in the booth. So I had to rely on the student athletes coming out and say, look, coach, I'm being double teamed. You know, and then the next question is, okay, who's free? You know, so so we sit down, we'd talk about those kind of things, and and we would talk just like this in in the in the heat of a game sometimes. So, you know, those are kind of things that is good to do as a leader, but also you're in this case, your student athletes will emulate you. You know, if you're on the sideline yelling and screaming and carrying on at the the referees, they're gonna think, oh, that's okay to do, coach is doing, I'm gonna do it, but you guys don't. You're under control, you're methodical, you you understand, you assess the situation, you attack it. And that's the the mentality that they have, and that's gonna carry on throughout life as well.

SPEAKER_05 47:11

Uh yeah, no, no, there's no doubt about that. I think that I think that um I heard a long time ago, and it kind of stuck with me was that good teams uh coaches lead, uh, the great teams kids lead. And and we really try to instill that, and especially our seniors. Uh, there's so many things that are far more effective if the kids are actually leading. And a lot of times that's just by example, by just doing the drill, you know, 100% every time. That's way better than us trying to bark at them and trying to motivate them ourselves and stuff. That's just so much more effective. And then to you know, to uh to to your point about talking to somebody, I I mean, I used to just tell kids this is what we're doing. Now we want to know what they feel. I mean, how do you feel about this? Do you want to combo block this? Do you want to X block this? Do you, you know, you know, do you want to fold this? Do you want to loop it? I mean, all those things. And a lot of times you the thing that we might think is the best one we find out isn't because these guys aren't comfortable with this. Uh, those things are really important. It's it's the same thing with like talking to our quarterback. You know, you you I don't want this kid running plays or throwing a pass that he's not comfortable with throwing, you know, just because I like it the best. And I think that stuff, that stuff is really, really important.

SPEAKER_02 48:24

Absolutely. Another question for you, coach. Why did you get into the coaching profession?

SPEAKER_05 48:32

Um, I think it's I think it's in our blood. Uh my as uh, you know, growing up, our our our father was um um, he was a coach. He coached uh he coached a lot of stuff and and he was a phys ed teacher as well. Um that's I guess that's probably the reason the main reason I got into phys ed and coaching. Um I noticed at at a at a very young age, I started coaching little league and I enjoyed just being around the kids. And and uh I mean that was the main reason. Being around the kids, I think was more than I mean, that's that's just very rewarding. There's something to be said about, especially when you're around younger kids and the kids get better faster. Uh they're so they're they're like a sponge. It's kind of rewarding to see that that progress so quickly and stuff. And then as you progress and you start doing it some more, you find out what sport you like coaching the most. And and um and just, I mean, it's kind of evolved to the satisfaction to seeing a kid's face or or even coming back years later. Um you realize you're doing, you feel like you're doing more than just coaching the sport. And that's really the the the longer we do that as coaches, you you realize that's what you're really trying to do. You're trying to, you're trying to teach so many things, goal setting and some of these other things. But that was the reason why I got into it. Uh now it's just more rewarding. And it just, you know, I I think I enjoy practice now as much as I ever have. Um, there's just so many things to it, and you know, just being around the guys and the kids. And and I mean, the coaches are are some of my best friends now. And um, you know, that's uh it's just I wouldn't have it any other way. If I had it all over again, I I'd be doing the same thing. I just um I I just love it.

SPEAKER_02 50:06

Well, you the name Hogan is synonymous with football specifically in the ballet and particularly at Waverly. You know, you've had your your dad was a a player there, your uncle, I think, actually coached your dad, if I'm if I'm correct. Yeah, you're and your your dad was a quarterback at Ithaca, you were a receiver at Cortland. Um, so you know, there's uh it it's not that you were brainwashed into it, it's just you saw, and that's something I like, and you were inspired to do that. You weren't necessarily motivated, which is external or extrinsic. You were inspired, meaning internally intrinsic. That's a decision. I wanted, I want to do that. And somebody that's doing it because they're inspired to do it, way ahead of the game. And you alluded to the student athletes doing the drills and demonstration and stuff. They eat that up, they get a chance to demonstrate number one, what they're doing and and how um into it they are, and that rubs off big time for the rest of it. It ripples throughout your team. You know, you're either gonna you're you're either in or you're out, you know, you're not kind of halfway in, you know. So that really goes a long way. And that's again, that's stuff that goes on in the professional world. You'll see successful organizations that do that, that really believe in their people and the relationships. Now, what aspect of coaching do you find the most rewarding? And you touched on it a little bit about the student athletes and those kind of things, but tell me some stories or share some stories about student athletes you coached a while ago, and they come back and things that they've said or the conversations they've had with you, they're like, Wow, I must have really had a great impact on them.

SPEAKER_05 51:42

You know, it's funny because you know, the the larger you do this, the kids come, they might come back with a story that you might not even remember.

SPEAKER_03 51:50

You know, exactly.

SPEAKER_05 51:51

Yeah, they're the the older you they are, the more you man, I don't remember specifically doing that or saying that. But um, but uh and plus, you know, you change too. You you know, you might not have coached the way you do anymore. But um, you know, quite quite often they just come back and and just um it's just a lot of fun. I mean, just it it can be like especially like uh the week of the state championship week. You just hear from so our coaching staff hear so many things from so many different alumni and and just wishing you well and hoping things are going well and stuff like that. Um back when we played, this is the first year we didn't play over the Thanksgiving break, but back over the Thanksgiving break, we'd have we'd have up to a dozen alumni there and and they'd they'd come and they'd talk and stuff. Uh you know, it it was different this year because it was a week later, so the you know, the kids weren't in town and stuff like that. But um there's there's lots of uh just lots of different uh stories and and thank yous and stuff for what we've done. But you know, the you know, the thank yous go both ways. Uh, I I don't even know if kids know, you know, how much they they do for us as coaches. And uh it just it's just how much you you appreciate. There's no way they appreciate, especially at a young age, how much they've done for us. You know, this is our livelihood. This is next to our families, this is next, you know, our family's first, and this is next. And and um, you know, what they do for us is just so much. And you know, and and when you know, when when you see these kids when they're older, some of them get into coaching and stuff, and and that's great. You they pick your brains with that and stuff, and just neat to see these kids grow up and have a passion for the same thing you do, and and of course, what you know, whatever they do. And um, but uh, you know, I I could talk about this kind of stuff forever because it's uh this is the best part about it.

SPEAKER_02 53:39

Sure is, sure is. Now, this leads a great segue right into my next question. Uh, what guidance would you give or do you give to the young student athlete or maybe not a student athlete that comes up and says, Hey coach, uh I'm thinking about getting into the coaching profession. What do you think?

SPEAKER_05 53:58

I mean, I think I think if you if you have passion, you know, if you if you if you have passion for that, I mean, um, you're gonna have to you're gonna have to have it, especially if you want to get into it and and do a very good job, um, because it's it's uh it's it's strenuous. It's it's um uh it's gonna wear you down faster if if you don't have that passion, because there's there's gonna be challenges. Kids learn learn at different rates. Uh they they obviously learn uh some people learn by dictating to them, some people they got to see it. I mean, all these other things, it's just non-stop, and then you're gonna get frustrated because they might not be doing what you're asking them to do. So uh all the all those kinds of things. But I think I think the other thing is you you really need to enjoy being around kids and and and working with kids. I think I think that's probably the biggest thing. Um, I don't think knowing this knowing a particular sport is not nearly as important because that you can learn that stuff. Um, but I you know, I I have had kids come back just recently. I had somebody just ask, as a matter of fact, and um I and I know this person, this this kid very, very well, and I know he's gonna do very well. Uh yeah, I I think the passion, you know, for for what you're doing and and working with kids are by far the most uh most important. If you have that, you're gonna you're gonna be you're you're gonna be well on your way to being a great coach.

SPEAKER_02 55:18

Yeah, and you're gonna put your soul, heart and soul into it. I I heard the term a long time ago. If you um if you do something that you really truly want to do, you never work a day in your life. But I've learned a different meaning to that. If you want to be a coach and you're really passionate about it, and that's what you want to do, you're gonna work way harder at it than you probably normally would if it's something that somebody makes you do, you know. So it's kind of that that old analogy is a little bit off where um, you know, you you'll never work a day in your life. I think if, like with this podcast, I'm you know, since I'm not coaching now or recruiting uh or broadcasting, this is my segue now to stay close to the game. And I put a lot of time and effort into this, and I knew I was because I knew I wanted to do it, but it's not something I'm going in halfway. I'm I'm doing it right, and I think I'm doing a pretty good job. But it's it's people like yourself and programs that and all these, you know, all 40 programs in Section 4 football that gives us everybody something to talk about, root for, cling to, appreciate those kinds of things. So, coach, uh, I want to finish up with one thing I'm gonna tell you. I'm gonna do this weekend. I was actually gonna go to the game, but I'm not gonna go to the game, but I'm gonna go watch it in New Jersey. But it's the uh Army Navy game. Got one of your uh former student athletes as early as the spring season, uh Lucas Scott, number 83, the defensive lineman for the United States Military Academy at West Point. What does that mean to you to have Lucas down there?

SPEAKER_05 56:56

Uh it's just we're all so proud. We are so, so proud, especially going to the Army. It's uh what a what a great uh what a what a great place for him. He's gonna do great there. Um, and um, you know, I I I mean, the first year, I mean, like it is for all freshmen, it's uh there's a learning curve there, but uh, you know, he there's no doubt, there's no doubt in our mind that he's gonna succeed there, you know, not just on the football field, but years, years ahead too.

SPEAKER_02 57:23

Yeah, that's uh I have a daughter that graduated from the West Point. Uh, and I know that in terms of educating um and developing leaders, there's no other place in the world that they do a good job like this. And it all begins with the quality of the cadets that they get in there. And uh yeah, this is probably a real learning curve for Lucas this this first year with Beast Barracks, which is like basic training for uh the you know cadets at West Point. But uh I've watched a few games so far, and I I truly watching him, you know, uh play for Shango Forks, and I used to recruit student athletes specifically football, I thought for sure he'd end up in their backfield as a uh as a fullback, which is their that's their position. And I'm not so sure that he may end up get there later, but right now they've got him playing defensive line. I can only imagine that you know his size and agility, how he's gonna develop, and they're gonna put some more weight on him. I'm not sure how much more he can handle uh physically, but I think he's in a really good place there. And uh, like you said, nothing but good things are gonna come out of that when when you make it through. Number one, getting into the academy is one thing, uh, but then making it through and then progressing throughout life and and how that sets your foundation. But Lucas had a foundation going in, he had the Stangle Forks foundation going in. So he was kind of predisposed to the way things should be done. So I think he'll do he'll do fine there.

SPEAKER_05 58:50

Yeah, yep, no doubt about it. He could play, he could play offensive line too. I mean, there's I know certain, I mean, some D1 coaches were looking at him as a center, maybe down the road and tight ends, and you know, even offensive guard and offensive tackle, defensive end, fullback, everything. I mean, that's the that's another uh that was another big thing with with Lucas, is he could have played any of those places, you know.

SPEAKER_02 59:11

Oh, he but he'd have been at his speed and agility. Think about him pulling out as a guard and leading somebody. I mean, he was a he was a lineman in the backfield for you, you know, but he was an agile lineman and he could pick him up and put him down pretty good for his size.

SPEAKER_05 59:25

Well, he sure could.

SPEAKER_02 59:27

I'll tell you one play that he made, and I don't know it's probably a combination of your coaching and his intellect. Um, but he was, I think it was at at the main end well game, it was at the end of the game, and he had a breakaway run. You probably know where I'm going with this, and he actually, I don't know what yard line it was, but he he was in the he could have scored a touchdown, but he went down, you know. I mean, he went down on his own because he understood the situation in the game, and that that is really goes big time. You know, it's one thing for you to coach him up on it, but it's another thing for him to remember that you know, a young student athlete running down the middle of the field of football, they want to score, but he had presence of mind to say, wait a minute, that's not the best thing to do here. I need to go down and keep that clock running.

SPEAKER_05 1:00:11

Yeah, he I mean, I know exactly the player talking about. Yeah, he's running, he's running down, and he had enough sense to look to the sideline, you know, to look because it, you know, he's he's seen this situation before, you know, and and uh we're trying to tell him to go down, jump and down up and down. But he said he truly didn't know what we're trying to tell him. So he just decided to take the slide himself.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:32

So really worked out well.

SPEAKER_05 1:00:34

It was definitely the move because we were still gonna, I mean, we score, and I mean we were already ahead. I think we were ahead by one at the time, and we were gonna just go up. It's still gonna be one score unless we went for two or something and made it. But um, but that was uh, you know, that was definitely the move. So we could just, you know, just run the clock out because it wasn't much time left, and I don't know how many timeouts they had. But yeah, that was uh that was interesting. That was an interesting play.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:57

It was, you know, what was the funny part of it was when we were at that game, we were actually broadcasting outside, so we were right in the mix with the fans. And the fan base, there's not all of them, but there was uh probably 15, 20 of them that were disgusted, like, why did he do that? What's going on? And they were they were just strictly watching it from a uh a football fan perspective and didn't understand the the situation and uh the nuances of the clock and all that stuff. And uh then I guess somebody had explained it to him. They're like, Oh, okay, but that's what you do, you learn these situations. But when I saw that, I thought, wow, that's that's pretty good, and that's why he's at the West Point, United States Military Academy. At the time, a 16-year-old kid having uh you know, having the instinct to do that and the and and the knowledge of oh superimpose yourself, superimpose, put Dave Hogan out there at 16 years old with a ball in his hand, playing against Maine Edwell at their place, nothing but green in front of you. I'm scoring.

SPEAKER_05 1:01:54

I'm not sliding. I'm not looking over the my sideline either.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:02

That's right. See ya. Oh man, we could talk all day, but this is this is good stuff, coach. And again, thank you for uh everything you guys are doing at that you know at Shango Forks for the game of football and sending these student athletes off with the the right foundation. And I know it's carried a with a lot of them. I see a lot of when I go there to watch games, I see a lot of ex-student athletes. They're there, but they've got their jersey on. I don't care how cold it is, they got their forks jersey on because they're very proud of it. And uh that that's cool stuff. Well, listen, thank you for everything, coach, and uh best wishes for continued success.

SPEAKER_05 1:02:40

Thank you very much, coach. Thanks for uh thanks for having me on.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:44

Our guest is Nick Ayalo, head coach at Tyoga. Welcome, coach.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:50

Hey, thanks for having me on. Good to be here.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:52

We appreciate it. Congratulations to you, the team, and the Tyoga community on winning another state championship.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:00

Much appreciated. It was uh it was a heck of a ride and just a great day from beginning to end.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:05

Absolutely. You guys uh you ran the table, you were 12 and zero, and uh that's that's pretty good. And uh, you're the only one of the three current Section Four state champions that was uh 12 and zero, and you can't really, I mean, Chenango Forks and Maine Animal had to play each other in week one. So one of them was probably gonna lose a game, but nonetheless, running the table that's pretty significant and uh very good accomplishment for you. Um, the program itself, you've done a great job there, coach. It's very accomplished program in the 11 seasons you've been there. We're not counting the 2020 season, you've averaged 9.8 wins per season, and you've been in playoffs every year. You had uh two Section Four semifinals, you had seven state semifinals, and then you had uh two state championships. So that really bodes well for the kind of program that you have there. And when I say program, I mean you have young student athletes in the pipeline ready to come up, and that's great stuff. But what I wanted to start out with a coach is really what's most important, and that's people and relationships. And on May 31st, 2020, the Tiago football community lost Mason Boozer. Am I pronouncing it correct? Boozer. Yep. And uh why don't you just share with us a little bit about Mason, uh, what he meant to your program and community and and how your football community rallied around him this season?

SPEAKER_00 1:04:34

Uh Mason was on the he was a senior on the 2019 uh state semifinal team. And uh these uh the seniors we had this year were sophomores at that time, which a lot of them played. Uh and it wasn't just football, you know, they they played baseball with them. Um he actually wrestled as a senior that year. So uh you know, we're we're a small school and these kids all hang out with one another, and you know, a lot of times you get that mix of you know everybody kind of hanging out with each other in high school. And um you know, Mason was a special kid, and and personally I I coached him um in baseball for a couple years at the JD level, um, and then at the varsity level as well, and and then all the way up through in football. And um you know, he was a kid that uh you know he kind of he kind of latches on to you. He was just uh just an energetic kid and a great kid to be around. And um, one of the kids that when you get into coaching, those are the types of kids you want to coach, you know, a kid that always works hard. And uh personally, um I remember getting a call and it just it hit me like a ton of bricks, and um these kids were uh they were really beat up about it. I mean, it was the the COVID shutdown, um they didn't get their baseball season. That was Mason's uh big sport that he he loved playing, and uh and and I remember being with the kids that night. Um and it was just tough. It was tough for them and uh to go through that and and everything else they're going through. At that time, it just seemed like there was never any closure. And um, and then uh last year during our spring season, uh, we wore number eight on our helmets. Um, so we, you know, the seniors of that year, and then and then the juniors of that year, we all wore number eight in memory of him. And and obviously the kids that graduated last year were real close to him, and then this year uh we talked about it a little bit. Um, and and and honestly, at the state championship game, um, it was the kids that came up to me and wanted to carry his jersey out. I didn't even know they brought it with them, and so it was completely on them uh to do that. And they wanted to carry his jersey out and put it on the bleachers. And and um, to me, I I talked a lot about these seniors with leadership, and and to me, that was just another another example of how special of a group this was that they wanted to remember uh one of their one of their brothers like that. And um and I'm glad they did it. I think it meant a lot to uh not only his mother, but it meant a lot to the community, and uh most importantly, it meant a lot to to them to be able to carry his jersey out and then come away with the victory and just feel that that Mason was part of it.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:03

Yeah, it was obviously genuine, but it showed a maturity level of the student athletes that you've coached and impacted. It's not about me, it's about us or we. And that that goes a long way. That's uh that's a reflection on you as a coach, but also on uh parents and guardians as well. And that's that's what it's really all about. It's about people and relationships, and coaching is a way to do that. And and as I've mentioned before, coach coaching, you get the opportunity to impact multiple student athletes because you do it year after year and you may coach multiple sports. So that's good stuff. Now, coach, I want to move on a little bit. Uh, I don't know if you had a pivotal pivotal point in your season or not, going 12 and zero, but was there a point in the season where you felt the ship could have gone either way or was a tough point that you learned from and moved on?

SPEAKER_00 1:07:59

Well, yeah, to me, this season really goes back to the spring season. Uh we lost at Newark Valley and uh we had the lead going into the fourth. I think it was a 10-point lead. And I felt that uh Newark Valley outworked us, outplayed us, and out prepared us. And uh going into the preseason, I felt that that needed to be the message, uh, not just about Newark Valley, but any any opponent we faced that year. And the kids really responded great. Um, like I said before, the our seniors, a lot of them played as sophomores on a state semifinal team. They they knew what it took. So um, but our the stretch that we really looked at that we thought would really define this team was in the regular season. Um, from week two, uh, when we played Watkins Glen, it was our only non-division game against uh a C school, and we knew they were gonna be good. But then we followed that up with playing against Walton. Um from there, uh it was Walton, Del High, Newark Valley, and Harpersville. And so it was to us, we were looking at that stretch of games that we were really gonna know who we were after that. Um, I mean, that you're talking about five games anyway, so you're gonna know what where you're at. But uh, we just felt that uh as a team, if if we can make it through, and at the time we're not thinking run the table, we're thinking make it through, um, hopefully come out with some some really strong victories that we'd be all right. And we had a really tough game against Watkins week two. That's when every team's trying to figure out who they are. Um, but we came out with a 27-14 victory, so we're we felt we were all right there. Uh Walton, we ended up having to play Walton, Delhi, and Newark Valley three games in 12 days because of some some COVID problems. So we played Walton on a Monday. We had to travel to Delhi, which was that was our furthest away trip, even including playoffs. Go up there on a Saturday, and then turn around and play Newark Valley on a Friday. So, I mean, that stretch of games to me was just impressive on our uh on the kids. I mean, they they knew they were three big games, they put in the work, they they handled a little change in schedule with the Walton game. Um, and then we had to turn around and play Harpersville after that, which was um with a ranked opponent, another ranked opponent at the time. And so the kids just put the hammer down. And and it was after that that we were like, okay, you know, we're the real deal here. I mean, we were we're doing some really good things. And but as a staff, we talked like these kids. I think these kids really have it, what it takes, and they were putting the work in, um, not just physically, I mean the mental aspect of the preparation to play teams like that. And um, and so we really thought that if we can roll in the playoffs healthy, uh, we we got a chance at it. And um, and we knew hey, we have to get through Newark Valley again. That's that's kind of what we hung our hat on for the rest of the regular season. We're preparing to play Newark Valley again, and that proved to be true in the sectional final. And then and then from there, the the seniors really led the way, and it was just you know, the rest is history, like they said.

SPEAKER_02 1:10:52

So, yeah, that those uh series of games you're talking about there, those were real legit legitimate tests for a program. And uh good to see that you came through those well. Now, I know that you as a coach and most people realize that every play is important in a game, whether it's one play, a series. In the championship game, did you feel there was an impactful uh play or series that um affected the outcome? Now I have my idea about it, but I want to hear yours first because I sat there and watched something I thought was really cool, but I want to know what your perspective is.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:30

Well, if you want to, I'm coming from a former punter, uh you know, one game that one play that was huge in that game um was uh uh Muff's given and uh Gavin Fisher's uh uh scramble to to get a to get one heck of a pun off. And um, and a lot of people, I mean, I got asked by every reporter after the game about that play, and some were asked me if it was a play of the game. And um, you know, it's it's funny. I I laughed with Gavin in the locker room after that. We practiced that during preseason, and I and I told him at the time, I said you never know when this is gonna happen. I said, and it never happened to me, but I always practiced it just in case. And um, and and I think I told one reporter too, I said, you know, punters hate high snaps. High snaps, you got to jump up and get, come down and kick, and and uh you'd rather have it low, even skip off the ground is easier than a high snap. So it ended up going through his hands, but sure enough, you know, we practice, you go back, you round it to your right, so you can pick it up and roll to your right and and try to get off a rugby punt. And uh, I mean, the kid's only like 15 years old for so for him to keep that composure in a state championship game and get off one heck of a punt. Um, you know, for him, I I couldn't be more happy for him because he he knew how big of a play that was. And and um I mean it would have been seven, seven if he didn't do that, and it would have been a totally different game. So, you know, play of the game, I guess you can call it that. And uh, you know, like I said, as a former punter, um, you know, I'll give I'll give the punter some love on that one.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:54

Yeah, exactly. That and that's you exactly zero to end the in the play because I'm looking at it from a coaching perspective. You know, it was late in the first half, it was seven to zero at that point. But what was interesting about it, I watched the flight of the ball and it actually went over the return guy's head. I think he was starting, I think they were tandem back there, one or two, maybe, but they were starting to sneak up a little bit, and he got a really good punt off, and it went over the student athlete's head. And I think they were just totally shocked that that number one, he got it and got it off, and number two, it kicked it over our head.

SPEAKER_00 1:13:32

Yeah, the the other good thing about that uh you always worry punting when you're backed up like that because you're always worried about the protection so much you don't get a lot of coverage, and so if anything, it helped us because by the time that kid caught the ball, we had about six guys down in coverage to make a pretty quick tackle and kind of save the field position that way.

SPEAKER_02 1:13:48

So, yeah, that was that was definitely a uh a shocker from uh a team that's receiving the kick, but that was that was great stuff. Um, what do you attribute the program at Talgas, the overall continued success you've had? What what do you attribute that to?

SPEAKER_00 1:14:05

Yeah, I I get asked that quite a bit, and and I'm not bashful about saying, you know, I I fell into this program. Uh this program was established uh way before I got here. I mean, you go back to um, and I never obviously I never played for him, but uh coach Jim Haggerty. Um and and you know, when I got here, uh my high school principal was a former varsity coach, uh, the AD was a former varsity coach. And um, and then you know, Jim Haggerty was still alive at that time. And so, you know, being able to talk to those guys and and and in the and Mr. Taylor, uh, who was the high school principal and then superintendent, and then Mr. Cook, who was the AD and now middle school principal, and he does a lot with section four football, um, they played for uh Coach Jim Haggerty. So the tradition and the history and everything was already here. Um, and and I already fell in, I fell into a strong youth program. Uh, the youth program was already established. So, you know, when you look at continued success, um, and and uh I mean really I just I just blessed to fall into that. But when I got into it, I said, okay, um, you know, how how can we do this better? How can we make this stronger? Um, and so I I really attribute a lot of our success to to our youth program. We put a lot of time and effort into that. And and that kind of you know goes hand in hand with the support from the community because a lot of people that played around here, um, a lot of parents had put a lot of time, volunteered their time into that youth program. And and you know, when you look at our numbers, you know, as a small school, we were able to hold a JV team. You know, that that all starts in the youth, getting kids to love the game and stay out for Tyoga football and all that. And um, and and that's everything to me is keeping that youth program strong. And then as these kids work through the school uh program, you know, starting in seventh grade, um, just keeping the numbers up. Um, if we can get kids out playing, then then we know we're gonna be okay. I mean, even this year, you know, we only carry 20 on varsity. I mean, we were 20 on varsity, 20 on JV. Um, in the modified, we were a little over 20. So, you know, we're not carrying a whole lot, but but we feel that if we can hold the under those three programs, get kids playing, you know, they're gonna love the game. And to me, that that's what makes our program strong is getting the kids out, get them out early, loving football at the youth level, and then then continuing um that love of the game as they go through. And you only love football if you're playing. I don't like seeing kids uh stand on the sideline. And um and and and that's you know, when we talk about modified and JV, what are our goals there? It's completely player development. Um, I I tell my coaches, I said, and it doesn't always work out, but you you you try like heck to to meet certain goals, and one of our goals is you know, get kids playing as much as one, they deserve and two, so they can develop. And um I tell my coaches at that level, I said, if you really want to win the game, I said, go win it in the fourth quarter. You know, get everybody in. And um, if you if you really, if you get in a in a in a uh game where you you could really go and win that thing in the fourth, you know, see what your kids can do in a high pressure situation. You know, other than that, just get kids playing. So I feel like it's worked out. I feel like we've made a lot of um just a lot of positive steps forward in our program and a program that was already very strong and established when I got here.

SPEAKER_02 1:17:20

So yeah, I could attest to that. One of your youth level programs, my first coaching opportunity was way back in the early to mid 80s. I coached in the Owego Appalachian Junior Football League. And at that time we started branching out, competing against uh Tyoga, I think it was Tawanda, some other different places. And I definitely saw in that program when uh when the the Troy or I'm sorry, the Tyoga team came up to play, things were a little bit different, and that was that goes way back to the early to mid 80s. So, you know, that's great that you stepped in, uh accepted what you had, and actually have been you know improving that as you go. And that that's what coaching really is all about. So that's a great segue, coach, into this next question I have for you. Why did you get into the coaching profession?

SPEAKER_00 1:18:11

Uh to me, uh I just kind of always saw myself doing that. I mean, sports had sports had always been part of my life. Um uh I played three sports in high school, uh, football, basketball, baseball, um, played baseball all summer long. And um, you know, I really I didn't start playing football until I was 10. Um, but you know, ever since every single fall since then, it football has been part of my life. Um, my dad was a coach, he he coached basketball for a long time, and um and he he loved it. Uh he he coached when I was younger, he coached uh at a local YMCA, seventh and eighth graders. But then as I transitioned into school, he actually got uh he wasn't a teacher, but he got the JB basketball job. So I got to be part of that. I you know, going to his practices and everything when I was younger. Um and then he just he he loved it. I mean, I I saw all the good, I saw all the bad, I saw um how excited he got when they won. I saw uh him you know be a positive role model for uh you know student athletes. I mean, it just I just kind of always saw myself doing that. And um I felt like I knew I wanted to be a teacher too, and I felt like that was my my best path if I if I wanted to coach as well. And um uh and that's what I went for when I graduated high school. I I went in the teaching profession. I I I like that too. I just saw myself being that. And so um in the end, uh I I got really lucky. Um I student taught at Kander, and at the time, Ryan Doherty, who's now the superintendent at Newark Valley. Um, his father, Pat Doherty, was down here and he knew there was two social studies openings. And and I came down here and I don't know if you ever met Pat Doherty, he's a he's a tough guy, he's he's uh um he can be intimidating, but I just loved everything about Tyoga. And um and when I got here, I mean we we immediately started coaching uh in the interview or talking about coaching in the interview, and I knew that this would be a great place to have opportunity to do that. So uh from there, as soon as I got here, I actually coached three sports my first couple of years. Um I I don't think they wrote that in the contract, but I feel like that was kind of part of it if they were gonna give me a job. And uh and when you don't have tenure, you can only say yes. So um I got a ton of coaching experience in my first couple of years. Um, and then you know, life gets in the way, I guess, and and uh you you can't, it's hard to coach three sports a year. It's a it's a grind. So um, you know, right now I'm just coaching football. But like I said, it I I just I just saw myself doing that, and um I think it does go back to my dad, it just the the joy that he had from it. I just I always liked that. Um, I guess I guess one other thing to to go on to, I we mentioned earlier I punted in college. Um a lot of times for anyone else that played in college, a lot of times the kickers and punters uh get the heck out of there after special teams. Uh I always hung around. Um, I would go down and I was a quarterback in high school, and uh I would go down and be the scout quarterback for the defensive backs, and and I just kind of hung around and and I'll let and they would just I was like a glorified manager, I'd punt during the games and be a manager during practices or something like that. So uh uh, but in the end, you know, playing at Ithaca and seeing just the the coaching up there and and and what they did and how they uh and we were we were successful in the time that I was there. Um, and so I got to experience all that, and and from there I I just knew I would want to coach somebody.

SPEAKER_02 1:21:46

Were you there when Coach Butterfield was there?

SPEAKER_00 1:21:48

I was not, nope.

SPEAKER_02 1:21:50

Okay. Um, yeah, that uh he was I used to go up and watch him a lot uh when they used to traditionally have their Thanksgiving time playoffs, you know, in the NCAA playoffs and stuff, and just really uh zeroed in on how he uh I watched the game, obviously, but he was really an epitome of what a coach is all about. Calm, very um, you know, cool, very um calculated in a good way. And back to the coaching we were talking about, coaching is really teaching. Your field just has white lines around it or white lines through the field. And that's the way I've always looked at it is they really are synonymous. It's just your classroom is a little bit different than your traditional classroom. Now, you may have touched on a little bit, but what aspect of coaching do you find the most rewarding?

SPEAKER_00 1:22:38

Yeah, it's uh I guess the number one thing that I would say, and and I think this year really sort of proved this, that just to me in general, uh is there is nothing better than working with a group of young kids, really. I mean, you're talking 15, 16, 17 years old, and and uh to to have them believe in you and then the joy they get when they know you believe in them. I mean, I mean that that type of relationship um and and what you can get out of kids. I mean, it's to me it's it's kind of unreal. And and the way they'll push themselves, the way they'll listen to you, um, what they'll give you uh day in and day out, what they'll give you in a big game. I mean, uh to me that that that's what it's all about. And and then uh seeing how excited they get when they have success. Working with them when they're not having success and and and working them through that. Uh that's I don't know, that's everything. Um there's a lot of the other stuff I like. Uh I like the preparation. I I really like preparing for a big game. Um I I I like I like getting myself prepared, I like getting the team prepared. Um that's a uh the locker room, uh the locker room before a big game. You know, people ask you why you put up with all the all the the negative stuff that can come from coaching. I mean you you know the naysayers are the loudest or whatever, and and you you can you eventually you block that stuff out, and you do that because of things like like the locker room before a big game. I mean, the locker room before a state championship game, I mean, there's few things in life that's better than that, you know. Um the locker room after winning a big game. I mean, excitement out of kids' face. I mean, it it's it if you haven't experienced that as a coach, you you you don't know how good that is, you know. And uh uh but yeah, and then and the other thing, you know, seeing hard work pay off and I guess the the relationships you you you form with kids, you know, a kid coming to you excited when they got into the school they wanted, or a kid coming to you with their with their chest high because they told you they just enlisted and and to serve the country. You know, it's uh it's cool.

SPEAKER_02 1:24:58

Yeah, it is. And the thing is, you've coached long enough now that you, I'm sure, have had a number of student athletes that have come back to you and it's a different kind of conversation. You know, they've matured, they're on doing other things, you know, they've uh you know, either graduated or gone to serve the country or or what it is they're doing, they're proud to come back to you because at the time you were coaching them, typically a student athlete will listen to their coach before they listen to their parent, especially if their parent is a coach. And it's like mom or dad doesn't know what they're talking about, but coach Aiello said this, and that's that's what we're supposed to do, that's how we do it. So you're really um impactful and can influence young lives, and they'll come back to you. And I've had a lot of student athletes come back and and we've had some more mature kind of talks, but it was all based off of what you said, the relationships that you've developed. And they don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. And once they understand that, you know, suit them up, buckle up, get your mouthpiece in, double knot your cleats, and get out of the way. You know, that's really what it boils down to. Now, one last question for you, coach. What guidance would you give to a young student athlete or anyone who comes to you and says, Hey, coach, I'm considering the coaching profession. What do you think?

SPEAKER_00 1:26:21

I guess just going back to what I was just saying, and the the biggest it's hard for one. Well, we'll just I'll probably just start there. It's it's tough. It's it's a tough game. If you think you're just gonna get in and change the world, I mean you gotta you got a lot to learn. And um but just remember why you're doing it. You know, uh when I started, I I never really coached under anybody. I mean, everything myself, uh my two assistants, we kind of learned on the fly. We kind of learned as we went. And um, and there's a there's a lot to learn. And that's probably the next thing I would tell them, but but the big thing is remember why you're doing it. And uh, you know, for me, I always thought with with my players, no matter how how frustrating they can be or how mad you, you gotta be that positive role model uh for them. It's and uh you know, I I've coached for 12 years. There's there's a lot of other coaches that have coached a long time, and and you see almost every type of kid, and and you see where a lot of different kids come from, good families, broken families, uh good homes, uh not so good homes. I mean it's just you gotta remember why you're doing it. And um and and the one thing that I heard at a clinic at at one point, but they won't necessarily remember what you say, but they'll remember the way you made them feel. And and to me, that's what I guess drives me from day to day of uh getting these kids ready to play football. And um and that's that's also the fun part. So uh the other thing too, and I I've talked to some kids, you coach kids I've coached or other, you know, young kids, and then and I you gotta have a plan. I I think, and and I touched on that earlier when I got in. Um, I didn't know how. Long I was going to do this, but I just felt that if I was going to do it long enough, I better reach out to the youth levels like I was talking about. But have a short-term plan, long-term plan, uh be flexible, learn from your losses. I mean, we we didn't talk about it much, but uh, you know, we lost seven, seven times in the state semifinals, and those were tough losses. And uh and you gotta be able to take something away from those rather than you just lost and and whatever, you got you got to be able to learn from it. And so um it's like I said, it's a tough game. Be ready for the highs and lows, and and uh, but if you if you just remember why you're doing it, uh you're gonna you're gonna get a lot of joy out of out of coaching, especially at the high school level. We don't, I wouldn't say the money, but that's not true at the high school level. So it's it's uh it's it's more about a lot of what we talked about, the relationships, loving what you're doing, and being that positive role model and uh and coaching coaching kids and hopefully hoping you have an impact on them in a positive way.

SPEAKER_02 1:28:59

Now you said you're a social studies teacher. Is that your classroom you're sitting in?

SPEAKER_00 1:29:04

This is, yeah, this is my classroom. I I like out because it's right between the locker room and the weight room.

SPEAKER_02 1:29:08

So well, that was that was strategic. Uh the uh the the uh right behind you over your I mean, I guess your left shoulder. Um, well done is better than well said. That is absolutely huge. And what and who said that? I can't see. Is it Franklin?

SPEAKER_00 1:29:27

Uh Ben Franklin there.

SPEAKER_02 1:29:28

Franklin, yeah. Um, what that really alludes to is that you can say one thing, but your your actions speak louder than words. And you know, it's one thing as a coach or even you know, uh, you know, somebody that's not coaching to say one thing, but yet they do another. And that's your body language speaks very loudly of uh two people, and it's what what you do that really matters. But when what you say and what you do match, you got it going on, and you're gonna have success. So that sounds to me from watching from afar and listening to you, that's that's where you're at right now. You've got the two together. What you say and what you do, they match. So that's why I you have I think you have a lot of success.

SPEAKER_00 1:30:10

And the the kids, the kids will always know. The kids will always know if you really care.

SPEAKER_02 1:30:15

Oh, you can't you can't fake, you can't fake that. It's uh you can see it a mile away. You can tell somebody if somebody's genuine or if somebody's you know uh a facade. And uh, you know, once you get past that point and they can see you're you're genuine, and coach has really got his heart into this. You want to be a leader, you want to to lead these student athletes, then the sky's the limit. And listen, hey coach, unless you've got anything else, this has been a great conversation. Again, congratulations to you, the whole uh football team and the whole Together football community doing good things. Keep going with that.

SPEAKER_00 1:30:53

Thank you, very much appreciated. Yeah, thanks for having me on.

SPEAKER_02 1:30:56

Welcome to the final segment of the Cover Four podcast for the 2021 high school football season. We're joined by the sports voice of the southern tier. You know him as Roger Neal. Welcome, Roger.

SPEAKER_03 1:31:10

Hey coach, thank you very much. Appreciate it. Putting the wrap on uh season, thank goodness we got the whole thing in. Uh, it wasn't without some bumps in the road because of COVID, but for the most part, certainly a much, much better wrap up than it was after trying to get games in in the spring and have the last fall season ruined by COVID. So here we go, and what a year it was for section four teams. Let's run down the champions, Maine and well in B competition over Pleasantville. They came from behind to win 21-12. How about Michael Mancini? You can say what you want an outstanding team overall, but Mancini was literally the straw that stirred the drink. He was tremendous in that game, coming from behind. He returned a kickoff for a touchdown, threw a pass for touchdown, ran for a touchdown. That's right, 21 points, all three TDs somehow accounted for by Michael Mancini, standout quarterback, and he had an outstanding team to go with that. And they pick up another championship, their sixth state title, four in a row going back a few years ago, and Matt Gallagher's been there for five of those. So, congratulations to the Spartans in C play. Well, you can just talk about Shenango Forks and Forks football. That says it all. They don't lose often, and they didn't lose in the state championship, beating Skylerville 21 to nothing. How about this? They have in B and C competition seven overall state titles. Kelsey Green got a couple through 2007. Then Dave Hogan, who was on the staff, took over. He's got five, and that coaching staff continues to be superb. They don't turn the ball over, they can run all day on you. They'll throw a few passes, but for the most part, it's ball control. Double-edged sword. They keep the ball, they score. You can't get the ball, and you can't score. They ramp up another championship. And Tyoga, a 27-0 win over Mariah to win the D title. Two state championships for them. They finish the year unbeaten. And uh Coach Ayello, outstanding, 12 seasons, a couple of state titles, 24-2 in section four playoffs. So they continue to roll. They're much like Forks in that they don't throw much. They run the ball and they run it right over you. And that's again what they did on the way to the state championship. And you know, you take a look back at how the year transpired, and some people may say, well, why is it that Maine N well, Shenango Forks, and Tyoga seem to always have winning teams? Not just winning teams, but we're talking outstanding teams going to state playoffs and state championships, like we talked about with these winners. Well, a lot of it has to do, obviously, with the coaching and consistent coaching of Coach Gallagher, five state titles and under his belt. Dave Hogan continues a standout program that uh Kelsey Green had, and then Nick Russ before him, and you go to Tyoga 12 years for Coach Nick Aiello. What's that mean? Well, it means the systems are the same pretty much all those years. You know exactly what you're gonna get, and uh that's okay because what you get usually is an L in the column if you're the opposing team. So consistency in coaching, they don't come in every two or three years, change the offense, change the defense. It's standard of what they do, and what they do is win year in and year out. Congratulations, standout teams, all of Section Four, and certainly for the state titleists, the winners representing in fine fashion section four football. Tim, it's been a great year. We'll look forward to the kickoff coming up again next season.

SPEAKER_02 1:34:35

Yes, and thank you, Roger, for everything you did and all the expertise and uh and the way you delivered. It's it's great stuff. Really appreciate it. I can listen to you all day cover this uh this kind of information. So thanks again. Take care, and uh we'll uh look forward to doing this in the coming seasons.

SPEAKER_03 1:34:51

Sounds good. Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 1:34:53

This is our final episode for the 2021 Section 4 football season. We finally got to experience a traditional football season again. It felt great. This podcast was established to maximize your Section 4 football experience, regardless of your role, past or present. The goal with your help was to maintain a family-friendly, informative, entertaining weekly podcast with an occasional dose of appropriate humor. I believe we accomplished this goal with your help. This podcast took you beyond the microphone with in-depth analysis and insight, bringing all resources together for your benefit. This podcast complimented all those who cover, report, support, and enjoy Section 4 football. Thank you, everyone, Section 4 Football. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe. And remember, tell your friends, Coach Smith says, visit cover4.com and be the next fan up. In football and life, it's not where we line up, it's where we wind up. Thank you for listening to the Cover 4 podcast.