The relationship between Coach and player is one that can be
both complicated and rewarding for both sides. We are in a time where coaching
all the kids the same is not an option because every kids learns different. A
coach has to walk the fine line of mentor, disciplinarian, teacher, listener,
and trusted friend. The biggest part of wearing all those hats is understands
which one of those characteristics fits each player best. Any person who walks into a new situation and
thinks because of a title or status that you have the respect of a film room, a
huddle, a classroom, or even a board room is fooling themselves. Respect is
earned through your actions. I always hate when people say their sorry, tell me
they’re a hard worker, or even I love you. Those phrases are easy. When you can
match your actions with those phrases that speaks louder than any pregame
speech. This was never more evident during the last couple of weeks in New
Rochelle New York.
New Rochelle’s Head Coach Lou DiRienzo was “reassigned” from his teaching
position and head coaching job on Wednesday November 13 before New Rochelle’s
playoff game vs Proctor High School. Everything I have heard and read about the
situation tells me in simplest terms is that the coach helped a student who was
in distress leave school grounds with their parent. I am going to speculate
that he didn’t follow the protocol and that is the reasoning for the reassignment.
In a lot of instances common sense never is brought to the forefront and people
in high ranking positions paint every situation with a broad brush. A lot of
communities look for every reason to rid themselves of a coach. Even the most
successful programs have these issues, however the response to this news
couldn’t be more the opposite. The entire community, players, parents,
students, and the teachers union rallied around their coach. They seem to
understand the value beyond football that Coach DiRienzo has. Players wrote
letters, students walked out, and the teachers union called for the
superintendent’s resignation. At a school board meeting a person stood up and
said “we are not here because of a playoff game we are here because of a man
who instills values in us every day”. This was not about just X’s O’s, wins,
and loses. Coaches sometimes spend just as much time with a player as a parent
does and sometimes more. A parent has to trust that their child is being taught
the right way. The best Coaches teach you about being on time, being
accountable for your actions, and getting up every time you fall. These are the
things that every person I listened to said about this coach. People outside
that environment don’t understand how important that relationship is. They look
at it in a superficial way and think it just football. That couldn’t be farther
from the truth. I know so many guys that I have played with or kids I have
coach that said how football changed their lives and some instances saved their
lives. In Middletown on Saturday night 40 players took those lessons learned
from their head coach with them into their New York public school state
semifinal matchup.
Despite all the adversity the New Rochelle Huguenots defeated Proctor last
weekend 21-7 to continued their undefeated season (11-0) they were led by a sparkling
performance by Jessie Parsons who rushed for 156 yards and 3 touchdowns. This
performance follows a school record breaking 321 yards and 5 touchdowns in the
section 1 championship vs Carmel. Parson leads an offensive attack that
averaged 39 points a game this season. On the other side Shendendehowa is also
led by a do it all running back Billy Beach (another great name) who has scored
32 touchdowns this season. The Plainsmen have lost only once this year in week
2 and have won 9 straight since averaging 38 points a game this season. This
sets up this matchup of high scoring offenses and a chance to play for a state
championship in the Carrier Dome in Syracuse New York.
I was having trouble this week finding a sports bar that was
close to the game in Middletown. I researched a couple of places but they
didn’t seem right. Driving down I-84 I decided to google it and see if anything
else would spring up. So I reversed field
on the highway, headed to Newburgh, New York and Whoo’s Sports bar. When
I pulled in the parking lot the building looked more like someone’s house than
sports bar. I walked through a set of steel doors to another set of swinging
wooden doors. It was like walking into a friend’s basement converted into a
bar. Low ceilings, with an old wood rectangle bar wrapped all the way around
and drinking glasses hanging above. I found a corner seat at the bar and
immediately was greeted by the bartender yelling from the other end, “Hey did
you order the to go wings”. She said it in a way your mom would yell down the
stairs to you and ask “is this your laundry on the floor”. Barbara, the
bartender, came up to me after and asks me my name. Apparently she asks
everybody that because each new person that would arrive would be greeted the
same way and then introduced to each person at the bar by name. I only saw her
stumble once when she said Tommy instead of Steve. She then replied “aaahhhh
it’s all the f*%# same. It was like everybody knew each other even though they
really didn’t. The profanity and crude talk was flying and I loved it. Barbara
took my order. I wanted to try the mild wings and the sweet and spicy. Barbara
suggested I have 12 sweet and spicy and she would bring out a side of mild. The
sweet and spicy was a house made recipe. Then she said the magic words and
asked me if I wanted “extra crispy”. College football was playing on all TVs
with the digital juke box playing country music. If the wings were good I might
be calling a realtor.
The wings came out on a simple white plate no celery with a small paper Dixie
plate and a piece of paper towel for the bones. I started to think maybe I was
in someone’s basement? The wings came out piping hot and as far as appearance
the sauce was smooth and glossy which gave them great eye appeal. I tasted the
mild sauce first just to cleanse the palate. It was very good and I will be
making a return trip for a dozen of those. Now however it was time for the
kickoff to the sweet and spicy wings. Each wing had good size to them, very
consistent. Some orders you can get a couple of chickens that didn’t believe in
strength training. They were crispy as advertised and the sauce had a good
balance of heat and sweet. They were a little spicier then others I have had
but that is what made the flavor stand out. Barb was spot on her recommendation.
The Whoo’s Sports Bar wings were another 5 star recruit. These wings are a 3
down linebacker who can stop the run, Cover RB and rush the passer. He also has
some nastiness to his game that every coach loves. With back to back 5 star
prospects the wing recruiting season is finishing strong.
I pulled into Middletown High School about 10 minutes before game time. The
venue was still emptying out from the prior playoff game. The facility looked
huge as I walked through brick pillars and paid for my ticket. They had stands
on only one side with a large brick building behind it serving as a press box
and coach’s booth with both home and away locker rooms below that. A large
state of the art Jumbo Tron was on the other side of the field. The crowd
seemed made up of mostly parents and alumni from both teams and wasn’t as loud
as I had anticipated. Maybe it was the neutral site or a quiet nervousness
among the fan bases of two evenly matched teams. It was a crisp 41 degree night that was
perfect conditions for playoff football in the northeast.
New Rochelle took the ball first and quickly got themselves in a goal to go situation. Shenendehowa held steady and The Huguenots settled for a field goal. After forcing Shen to punt New Ro opened up their bag of tricks converting a 4th and 9 on a fake jet sweep to a shovel pass to Colin Jennings who gained 21 yards and a first down. The first play of the second quarter was a 9 yard reverse for Jessie Parsons that increase the lead to 10-0. In normal High school games 10-0 that quick sometimes means a team getting down on themselves. This was the playoff and Shen was here for a reason. Brody Vincenzi launched a 70 yard completion and two plays later took the ball in himself. Then late in the second quarter Shenendehowa stayed aggressive and Vincenzi found Josh Szwarcberg 43 yards with 1 second left on the clock that set up a 33 yard Field goal. Halftime score 10-10 and we were back where we started.
In second half the tempo of the game seemed to slow down. It was like neither team wanted to make a mistake this close to the state championship dream. Shen finally threw the big punch. Vincenzi once again found Szwarcberg 56 yards for a touchdown to make the score 17-10. Including those two huge catches Szwarcberg was a monster on defense (14 tackles) all night as well. On that score, Raymond Dixon the New Ro defender missed timed his jump and got beat on the play. This is where coaching lessons come into effect. As a coach I loved watching how kids react in the eyes of failure. Lessons I am sure hundreds of players learned from Coach DiRienzo. After New Ro receiver Gary Phillips took a bubble screen to tie the score at 17-17. The game came down to another opportunity for Raymond Dixon. This time he would not miss. Dixon made an acrobatic catch with a defender having the position in front of him. Dixon answered the bell as did the Huguenots defense on the last drive intercepting a pass and writing their ticket to Syracuse.
The night ended as they handed out awards at the end of the game. The players chanted for Coach DiRienzo as they broke it down as a team. I don’t know where the coach was on this night or even what the rules are but what I do know is how much it killed him to not be there with those young men. I listen to an interview from Jessie Parsons after the game and the emotion in his voice about his coach was clear. It was as if a piece of their heart was missing. The job of coaching high school football is certainly not done for money or fame. It’s for the passion of not only the game but, helping young men develop values and work ethic they can take with them throughout their life. I am not sure how this story will end and if coach will be there in Syracuse, however if he is not there physically you know the lessons that those 40 players and coaching staff have learned will be on full display.
