A lot of deserving candidates but none more so than Fenwick's Gene Nudo. Nudo took a team that went 3-6 last year and proceeded to defeat 2 defending state champs (Phillips/Montini), went 8-1, won the CCL Green, while nobody expected anything.
Coach of the Year
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Richard Petroski of Westchester St Joseph Chargers!!!!! Took a school that NEVER even had a .500 record according to sources & now 7-2 in the state playoffs!!! Sure Rice drilled them but that was a total mismatch & can't take away from the magic of their season
Decent choice but wait till they win anything before you crown him.
Rob Zvonar, LWE
Took 2 schools and juggled the players, their feelings, their PARENTS, all while coaching a football team. The only two losses came at the expense of two undefeated teams that can both possibly be State Champions.
Coach Z and his staff have done a terrific job of being coaches to a great group of young men.
Nobody knew or expected the teamwork, character, and unity that this team committed to.
It should have been a disaster with the whole North vs East fiasco perpetrated by the PARENTS but, the kids persevered with the direction of Coach Z.
Job well done sir!
Took 2 schools and juggled the players, their feelings, their PARENTS, all while coaching a football team. The only two losses came at the expense of two undefeated teams that can both possibly be State Champions.
Coach Z and his staff have done a terrific job of being coaches to a great group of young men.
Nobody knew or expected the teamwork, character, and unity that this team committed to.
It should have been a disaster with the whole North vs East fiasco perpetrated by the PARENTS but, the kids persevered with the direction of Coach Z.
Job well done sir!
I don't want to make light because there was obviously some challenges that come with a merge but you think he's the coach of the year because he won 7 games with an all star team? Almost any coach in the state would love to absorb another school that went like 10-1 or whatever last year.
I think it would have been easier to fail with this team than to be as successful as they are. They lost the stud running back from LWN. He moved to Texas, and without trying to accommodate as many as possible without losing players to their hurt feelings. I just think that under the circumstances, Coach Z did a tremendous job.
If you had any idea of the parental impact not only to LWE but all of District 210 and the nonsense that continues after the decision to close a school you would understand Coach Z's nomination. It makes the politics at rival Sandburg look like a cake walk. Thanks to the vocal and Facebook crap you would think the parents were the kids.
I do not expect you to understand nor will I ask you to. I guess you just had to be here. Next year will be much easier as there will be no transitions nor "this is not my school anxiety", or "I was the starter last year". The politics of the job Coach Z did this year while at the same time losing only 2 games to prospective State Champions is more than any of us could have expected.
Next year will be much easier but we are not done yet this year. Go Griffins!!
I can not help but wonder if, in hindsight, Coach Z would have elected to become a "CSN DRIVE" team for this season?
All the more to my point. He may have used that to take their minds off of themselves. The old "everyone is watching us" mentality. I just think he has done an amazing job with the hand he was dealt. It's just my humble opinion. And Francis is all good. Just havin some fun!!
Coach Z is not coach of the year and as I stated one can understand his name thrown into the mix, but not THE winner . The districts angst runs deep with the closing of LWN, and every single day another shot is fired, mostly from the LWN Facebook crew. It is not just dealing with parents and coaches, it is fueled by anger with the district being directed towards the situation at LWE. Only 40% of the population was the original East, with 100% of the LWN school now at East.. Not a great hand dealt to anyone for sure. I understand the hate, but to transfer that to the kids at home as parents is unjustified. LWC and LWW were also very much involved but dealing with the situation in D210 in a less hostile manner. Parents continuing to focus on which kid is from what original school regarding on field performance and playing time is different than just ahole parents. Safe to say until 7 board members and a super are removed the snipes will continue. Welcome to Illinois my friends.
All very solid choices..... My order 1 krefft, 2 nudo 3 petroski. Krefft is the best young coach in the state, he is only 31 I believe. Nudo 3-6 to 8-1.... Great job. Petroski changed a perennial losing culture into a state playoff team.
All coaches named in the threads above should be recognized, A job well done.
Solid choice, I like it.... Weak schedule is the only knock..... Great job by coach petroski