Every year people need to be critical of coaches in the Huron League. There is nothing wrong with this coaches are professionals and are subject to scrutiny. Many coaches welcome the criticism; they know it comes with the territory.
People have a tendency knock a few coaches in particular. They both happen to be young coaches who coach at football challenged schools. “This guy does not know what he is doing.” “That guy is not committed to the program.” “We have the talent the coach is hurting us.”
Have many of you who are critical of your coaches ever taken a look around the league and see the coaches that are in this league? This is a terrific coach’s league and probably will be for a while.
Let’s look at some of the coaches:
Monroe Jefferson’s Marc Cisco has been around forever (45 years or so). He has a strong system in place and owns a state championship. There is not a person who grew up watching Jefferson football that remembers another guy roaming the sidelines.
Steve Robb from Milan will be entering his 25th season as the head coach at Milan. He has had only 7 losing seasons and has won numerous league championships. Their isn’t a single kid in the program who can remember someone else as the head coach at Milan.
SMCC’s Jack Giarmo was an excellent choice to replace Joe Sanderson 13 years ago. Who would have thought that Giarmo would come in and duplicate the success that Sanderson had at the best football school in the league. The Falcons are always a threat to win the league and usually go deep in the playoffs.
Jeff Stergalas from Riverview has been around forever, mostly at Dearborn Fordson where he won a state championship. Stergalas may be the best coach in the league and he just got here. This guy lives and breathes football. He brings the knowledge and tradition of many talented Riverview coaches while playing for one of the best coaches in Michigan history in Don Lessner.
Spend five minutes talking football with Flat Rock’s Joe Pruchnicki and you will notice that this guy may know more about football than the last four coaches listed combined. Go to a Ram practice and you will see the sixty-some year old lining up and knocking a teen twice his size on his backside while teaching technique. Most coaches like him are finishing their careers at the college level as assistants, but he likes coaching the youngsters.
This impressive list used to include a man who was probably the best coach in the league, in Eric Redmond. Love him or hate him, his kids were well coached. The point here is that good high school coaches are not made overnight or in five years. They take time to grow and learn. Much of that process is making mistakes and building a tradition.
It would be easy to say, “go out and hire an experienced guy like a Pruchnicki or Stergalas”. Remember though, Stergalas grew up in Riverview and some of these schools have already tried hiring a Pruchnicki type. Take a lesson from Jefferson and Milan. Stick with your young coaches. They won’t always be young and inexperienced. Eventually they will be the guys who are feared to coach against.
chris what do you think of GI this year?
Wilson is still there. I saw him the last week of school and in late June lifting.
is wilson still at that school up the river chris?
I was impressed with the kid from Huron's JV squad Nick Corbeil. The job may be Clark's but I think Corbeil will give him a battle for starter. Corbeil seemed to play under pressure better than Clark did during basketball.
Remember that both running and passing set up the other if you just run the ball the defense can stack the line so you need a threat of a paasing game to set up the effective run.
Who is the running back at Huron I heard Wilson is no longer in school there and who is part of the new coahing staff at Huron heard some copaches from Taylor Truman came over are they fro offense or defense.
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I would bet that Huron is going to take the air out of the ball this year. At least as much as Kalbfleisch can. They have a bunch of senior linemen line Six and Osher and good backs. Who will win the qb job? Will Kalb be willing to pound the rock? ARE THEY TOUGH ENOUGH TO STOP ANYONE IF THEY ARE A RUNNING TEAM?
I think you just argued my point for me. I said 2 to 3 wins. I was thinking Erie Mason, then possibly Huron and/or Ida.
Ida won't be an easy win. They pretty much had their way last year.
Huron is a rivalry game so that game could go either way. I'm willing to bet than if Huron runs the ball every play against the Rams that their size and strength will win.
Riverview is going to be very good. Milan is Milan. Airport has a young coach but still way more talent than FR.
Two to three wins sound about right.
i mean chris if u think about it flat rock can at least win the first game against ida maybe Huron and definitely Erie mason so thats three right there. what about maybe some upsets like MAYBE airport, milan, and the Rams have played well against riverview.
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The Rams are probably a few years away. They will be young this year and while they will have better size than in recent years they don't really have any star players.
Since Coach P has been there they usually have a star type player. Last year were Conner and Chickeral prior to that was Grunow, Crain, and Matthews.
Zapata will be a solid back with big heart. Look for a 2 to 3 win season from the Rams.
Whats ur " prediction " about the Rams this year? they could have a very strong offensive line this year?
Do you mean the the Redmond playoff tradition?
It's not that the talent level has fully left Airport, the tradition of continuing the playoffs WILL continue this season. Airport will go 6-3 at the least.
I don't know much about coach Barber but I have some thoughts. I think he is in the same boat as Bodner from GI and Kalbfleisch from Huron. He is going to have to coach against a gauntlet of coaches on a weekly basis. Throw in the two tough non-league games and it could possibly be a long season.
The talent level is still there so there is room for error on the coaching side of the ball but let's face it Redmond had a few chances to leave Airport for Monroe. What made this time the right time? Lower talent levels at Airport or better talent levels this time around at Monroe? Probably a little bit of both.
This isn't my official prediction but I could see Airport winning as many as 7 games and as little as 3. If I had to guess right now I would say the Jets go 5-4.
yea what are your thoughts on adam barber???
No write-up on Airport's new coach instead though since Redmond left? What are your thoughts on Adam Barber Chris?
Stregalis will save Riverview football. I just hope that the drive-by fans give him more than a year or so to turn around the program. He taught those kids how to win last year. Something that Riverview had forgotten. This year I see View going 5-4 or 6-3 this year. A few of the traditions have already came back.