Coach and Father, Chuck Gironda submitted by son, Steve One of my co-workers recently told me, “You are a lucky son to have the Dad you have! I thought that anyone who has played for Dad has been fortunate. He would never admit it but there are hundreds of good men, most of them fathers who may be instilling in their children some of what they learned from Dad on the football field.
This fall the Central Cambria Red Devil football team traveled to Martinsburg for a Laurel Highlands tilt against the Dragons. My 12 year old son was on the sidelines next to me and I told him that I learned to play football at that very field, down there in that end zone by the score board, with a plastic NBC Panther football. You remember those balls being thrown? Between 72’ and 78’ those balls were raining on the stands non-stop during Panther games. Being there brought back a lot of childhood memories and I figure it will for most of you as well. (Editor's note: Northern Bedford and Southern Huntingdon each claimed share to the winningest programs in the state of PA, for the decade of the 70's)
My dad is Chuck Gironda and since leaving NBC to coach the Central Cambria Red Devils in 1979 he often mentions those Panther teams and games; Tussey in 73’ and the “Mental Adjustment” at halftime against Juniata Valley come to mind. He always tells me how tough and hard working they (the boys at NBC) were and that they would do what ever asked of them. Sure, between 1979 and 1984 he had some pretty good teams in Ebensburg but none would ever equal any of the NBC squads. We were never tough enough, or mean enough for him. But that is Dad, the one I drove into retirement after my senior year at Central Cambria.
After a year away from the kids something great happened. He realized what anyone who ever played for him already knew; he needed to teach kids; football was his pulpit.
In the spring of 1986, after a year of retirement from coaching, IUP came calling and dad went back to his alma matter with out much ado. Little did IUP realize what they were getting? Dad has since outlasted Head Coach Frank Cignetti’s 19 seasons at the helm of the Indians and he is now part of Lou Tepper’s staff of the newly named IUP Crimson Hawks??? While there he had a chance to coach his sons Raymond and Joseph. His daughter Jenny graduated from IUP and I played against dad four (4) times while at Shippensburg University. During the past 20 seasons he has tried to retire two more times.
In 2004 I had the chance to do what few individuals that have played for Dad have done; I joined his coaching staff at Central Cambria. As Dad departed CCHS in 1985 he turned the program over to another of his players, Ken Bussard. Reluctantly, Bussard (former NBC player) gave up his coaching position after 19 very successful seasons as he moved into the administration at CCHS. Bussard turned the program back to Dad for one final season. It was an awesome season. It is amazing the hours dad spends each day on football. It wasn’t so much that he spent 16 hours a day on the game but that they were 16 no-nonsense productive hours. The kids were in shell shock, but as his kids always do they bought into his regimen.
The season was successful and highlighted by a first round playoff victory against the undefeated Bedford Bisons in over-time. No one gave us a chance. Well no one that mattered anyway. Dad had the kids convinced that they would win and the rest was history. In 40 years of coaching Dad was only part of one (1) losing season. Amazing!
In the winters of 2005 and 2006 Dad and I also had a chance to coach
together. He was the defensive coordinator for the Johnstown Riverhawks
Arena Football team and I coached the linebackers.
It was quite a challenge because the arena rules are in favor of the offense; they want basketball type scores.
The tryouts for the team were completely hilarious to everyone but Dad. We had every has-been in the tri-state area looking for a spot. We had guys who ran 7-second 40's. But there was Dad trying to get something out of these guys and encouraging them knowing full well they would never play a down.
The teams that we coached ended up with winning records and we sported the #1 defense in the league. We even won a game with no offensive scores and we also had the first shut out in league history.
However, without an equally adept offense, we couldn't win the big one.
We left the Riverhawks after week eight, last season because the ownership wasn't taking care of the players like Dad thought they should, and he couldn't stand seeing the players not being paid or fed which was part of their contracts!
Today Chuck is the proud grandfather of six (6) and he and his wife of 42 years, Kitty, reside on a 10 acre farm in Ebensburg. Over Christmas he said he probably won’t coach this fall and of course we all laughed at the statement. He was put on this earth to make boys into men, who will become productive members of society. I hope they too will pass on what they have learned from the greatest man I know, My Dad!
Steve Gironda |