Berwicks Football coach resigns...
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THE CHOPS
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Berwicks Football coach resigns...
Veteran Berwick coach George Curry resigns
11/16/2005, The Associated Press:
BERWICK, Pa. (AP) — Berwick High School football coach George Curry started with a short whistle blast and a smile but was fighting back tears by the time he finished announcing his resignation Tuesday.
"I just finished my 35th year as coach," Curry said. "It's a long time at any job, I don't care who it is, it's a long time."
Curry has 387 victories, the most ever by a Pennsylvania high school coach. He told reporters, assistants, players and others he decided a year ago to make this season his last in Berwick, regarded as one of the most football-crazed towns in Pennsylvania.
He became teary-eyed telling about junior high players who showed up at his house Monday night with a petition urging him to stay.
Curry, 60, got his first head coaching job at Lake-Lehman in 1967. He started in 1971 at Berwick, where he posted a 362-74-3 record and won a record six PIAA championships, including the first-ever run of four consecutive titles.
The Bulldogs dominated during the 1980s and 1990s, winning 235 of 267 games, and were named the national champions three times by USA Today. Curry acknowledged his teams slipped this decade, posting a 55-16 record through six seasons.
For only the second time in 19 seasons, Berwick isn't in a postseason game this year.
Curry kicked two players off the team two weeks ago for an undisclosed violation of team policy, and last week, four seniors who missed practice quit after declining an undisclosed punishment.
Defeated by Hazleton 9-8, the Bulldogs failed to qualify for the PIAA Class AAA playoffs, and Curry declined a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Curry was diagnosed with prostate cancer two years ago, but has received favorable medical checkups since then.
He noted rumors about other jobs, but said he would turn down offers from two Harrisburg-area schools he didn't name.
"Right now, I consider myself a retiree from the game of football," Curry said.
But, he said, "If the right job comes along someday, I might take it. I love football."
"THE CHOPS".
11/16/2005, The Associated Press:
BERWICK, Pa. (AP) — Berwick High School football coach George Curry started with a short whistle blast and a smile but was fighting back tears by the time he finished announcing his resignation Tuesday.
"I just finished my 35th year as coach," Curry said. "It's a long time at any job, I don't care who it is, it's a long time."
Curry has 387 victories, the most ever by a Pennsylvania high school coach. He told reporters, assistants, players and others he decided a year ago to make this season his last in Berwick, regarded as one of the most football-crazed towns in Pennsylvania.
He became teary-eyed telling about junior high players who showed up at his house Monday night with a petition urging him to stay.
Curry, 60, got his first head coaching job at Lake-Lehman in 1967. He started in 1971 at Berwick, where he posted a 362-74-3 record and won a record six PIAA championships, including the first-ever run of four consecutive titles.
The Bulldogs dominated during the 1980s and 1990s, winning 235 of 267 games, and were named the national champions three times by USA Today. Curry acknowledged his teams slipped this decade, posting a 55-16 record through six seasons.
For only the second time in 19 seasons, Berwick isn't in a postseason game this year.
Curry kicked two players off the team two weeks ago for an undisclosed violation of team policy, and last week, four seniors who missed practice quit after declining an undisclosed punishment.
Defeated by Hazleton 9-8, the Bulldogs failed to qualify for the PIAA Class AAA playoffs, and Curry declined a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Curry was diagnosed with prostate cancer two years ago, but has received favorable medical checkups since then.
He noted rumors about other jobs, but said he would turn down offers from two Harrisburg-area schools he didn't name.
"Right now, I consider myself a retiree from the game of football," Curry said.
But, he said, "If the right job comes along someday, I might take it. I love football."
"THE CHOPS".