Akron City Series high school football coaches reflect on sports, life at media day

There were conversations about football and life Thursday afternoon during the annual Akron Public Schools City Series Football Media Day.

APS Athletic Directors Joe Vassalotti and Ron Linger spearheaded the luncheon at the Akron Education Association that also included first-year APS Superintendent Dr. C. Michael Robinson Jr., AEA President Patricia Shipe, six head coaches and 12 players.

"We are excited about the upcoming season," Vassalotti said. "Players, you look great in your uniforms and coaches, you look good, too."

Vassalotti encouraged players to have a "positive attitude." Shipe praised players for being "leaders" and Linger reminded players that "coaches are with you for a lifetime."

"Enjoy the time you have with the guy next to you and your teammates," Linger added.

Buchtel and East finished 1-2 in the City Series standings in 2022, and both teams on paper look like the two best teams in the league heading into the 2023 season.

Buchtel (7-5, 4-0) earned the City Series championship, won two Division IV playoff games and were a semifinalist in Region 13 last year. Coach Bryan Williams and seniors Dakota Taylor and Damien Johnson Jr. represented the Griffins on Thursday.

Taylor, Johnson, juniors Stevie Diamond, Arman Gable and Demetrice Coates return to the football team after helping Buchtel's boys basketball team win a Division II state championship in March.

"I am in the community all the time and I talk to community leaders all the time and the main thing that comes up is about our young guys," Williams said.

"Our district is known as a door mat to some, but our kids and our programs go to district, go to regional and go to state and succeed with limited resources."

Akron Public Schools football: Buchtel reloads after slow start to advance to Division IV football regional semifinal

East (6-5, 4-1) made the Division III playoffs for the third season in a row last year and were represented by coach Marques Hayes and seniors Ibraheem Kamara and Derald Mitchell Jr. on Thursday.

"We are looking forward to having another competitive season," Hayes said. "... I will be rooting for you guys every game that you play except us. That is just the nature of competition."

A common theme during the luncheon was coaches talking about off-the-field business.

"Every coach in this room probably shares about three of the same goals, and those three goals have nothing to do with winning a game on the field," Garfield coach Kemp Boyd said.

"It is going to be about how do we create platforms for our young men to be the best version of themselves through this game of football? How do we get our young men to really thrive in the classroom and be better student-athletes and not just athletes? How do we help get them to where they want to go whether it be college, a trade school, military or the next stage of their life?"

Senior Antoine Wilson and junior Kevin Strickling joined Boyd.

"As a coaching fraternity here in the city, we all support each and everyone of us, especially Weeks 1 through 5 [during the non-league portion of the schedule]," Boyd said. "I want all of us to be undefeated Weeks 1 through 5 to bring the respectability and the credibility back to our league."

Hayes said East's "motto for years has been changing lives and saving lives," and stressed the importance of not having hazing on a team.

"I challenge you to be able to stick up for the people who have a hard time sticking up for themselves," Hayes said to the players. "... Being a leader sometimes is an unpopular position."

Williams talked about coaches "being that life coach, being that mentor, being that social worker, being that case worker, being that dad," and encouraged players to be good citizens.

"To make our world better we gotta make our children better," Williams said. "Teaching these young men life traits can take them further than they can ever imagine. ... From [Weeks] 1 through 5, I am a fan of all of you."

Firestone seniors Kahlil Herring and Brandon Carter flanked Falcons coach Eric Mitchell as he spoke about players having "a great deal of self respect for the jersey that you wear, for the name that you carry and for the school that you are in."

"Your parents, your grandparents and your ancestors before you worked so hard to give you the opportunity that you have today," Mitchell added. "Don't waste it. ... I want all of us to experience success. I want all of us to have successful seasons. I want all of our young men to be successful. I want all of our coaches to be examples of what success looks like to our young men."

Ellet (4-6, 2-3); Firestone (2-8, 2-3); Garfield (2-7, 1-3) and North (1-7, 0-3) are all trying to bounce back this season.

Vassalotti introduced two first-year coaches, North's DeMonte Powell and Ellet's John Daraio.

"I am thankful coming back home," Powell said. "I coached with coach Has [former North coach Sonil Haslam], graduated [from North] in 2011. I have been around a little bit and have coached track at North."

Senior Elijah Gervins and junior Tyreon Jones stood next to Powell as he talked about a "We before me mentality" and said fans will see a "brand new North" on the field in 2023.

Ellet seniors Jake Flossie and Isaiah Brown joined Daraio.

"From the moment I have gotten this position, everybody has been extremely welcoming," Daraio said. "... Every head coach at all of the programs in the Akron Public Schools City Series have been extremely helpful to me. I am excited for the Akron City Series against the world kind of mentality."

Akron Beacon Journal sports writer Nate Ulrich contributed to this article. Michael Beaven can be reached at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal and is on Twitter at @MBeavenABJ.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron Public Schools football coaches reflect on leadership, respect