Cornwall hires former QB Arduino as varsity football coach
Kevin Arduino has been coaching high school football in Texas for the past seven years, but his heart has always been back in Cornwall.
Arduino, 32, is thrilled to be coming home to coach the Dragons – he was approved as the next varsity coach on Monday night at a board of education meeting.
“I always had my eye on the Cornwall job," Arduino said. “The timing was kind of perfect for me and my family. It’s really a dream job, to be able to get back to the program that helped raise me.’’ He started playing Cornwall youth football when he was 6 years old. “To be able to give back to that (community) means a lot."
Arduino’s parents still live in New Windsor and his wife Alexandra’s family lives in Cornwall-on-Hudson and New Windsor. The couple have a 1-year-old son.
Arduino replaces four-year Cornwall head coach Ryan Baldock, who led the Dragons to a 12-0 mark in 2019, 7-1 in spring 2021, 9-1 in fall 2021 and 7-2 in 2022, winning two Section 9 Class A titles and then falling in the finals to Minisink Valley and Our Lady of Lourdes the past two seasons.
A 2009 graduate, Arduino played two seasons at Cornwall under Matt Buddenhagen and his last two for Marcus Hughes – the Dragons captured four Section 9 Class A titles, posting a combined 38-8 record that included a loss to Corning East in the 2006 state finals. Arduino was the signal caller for a 10-1 team in 2007 and 9-2 squad in 2008.
“There's a standard (at Cornwall) – and I lived it – when you were playing in that program. … Everyone wanted to beat us, and that's the standard that I want to keep. I want to be at a place (where) everyone just wants to succeed.’’
Moving on to Division II American International College. Arduino was a four-year starter, guiding the Yellow Jackets to four conference championship games, posting a 2-2 mark. He won rookie of the year honors and was twice named an All-American.
Upon graduation, Arduino fulfilled a dream and played one professional season in Italy. He coached one season at AIC before moving to Texas. He has been an offensive coordinator at Nolan Catholic, a Class 6A school in Fort Worth for the past seven years. The Vikings went 9-2 in 2018, 11-1 in 2019, 8-1 in 2020 and 7-5 in 2021.
“It's insanely competitive where I'm at,’’ said Arduino, who plans on finishing coaching spring football and attending graduation at Nolan Catholic before his move north in June. He’s already reviewed game video of Cornwall so he has an idea of what kind of lineup he has. He plans on meeting with players by Zoom call and piecing together a coaching staff. “I don’t anticipate there being a lot of changes,’’ he said.
“We’re going to try to create champions on the field and champions in life,’’ he added. “We want our kids to grow into men and be disciplined and be leaders. I think if you continue to do right by the kids, the wins come.’’
Twitter: @KenMcMillanTHR
This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Cornwall football hires varsity coach Arduino Nolan Catholic Texas
