Altoona Coach

[WilsonJet]

I see that Coach Pelfry is not making the grade at Altoona High, actually heard rumor that Coach Craig Sponsky from Bishop Carroll has been talked to again. Has anybody heard anything like this?

[kmr]

I would tell them to stick it!!! He should've had it the first time. I can't see anyone talking to him during the season.

[CentralD]

This obviously a bias opinion, but Hoensteins record at Central was not very good until offensive producers like Runk, Cafferty, and some others, as long as the outstanding defense we've seen from Forshey, Smith, Keefer, Leberfinger and the rest of the defense. I think Altoona just needs some time to develop. Some time soon they will catch some breaks and get back on track. Its hard playing large schools like that. Of course Altoona is large, but teams from areas of Pittsburg and such are going to be better than Altoona. Just give them time.

[reugenev]

Also heard Altoona is making inquiries on Huskie Hill!!!!!!!

[Levelthefield]

I think everyone understands that HS football is an important part of a communities identity, and there are many folks that take pride in their school's football team. However, most HS coaches in this area are paid very minimally; probably less than 1 cent per hour given all the time that goes into it. Most, if not all, are only paid in-season, so the off-season conditioning and weight training sessions, passing leagues, lineman challenges, etc.., are extras. These men are there for the kids, and for the love of the game. The men that do sacrifice their time away from their own families for the sake of the kids do not derserve the negativism that comes their way. Not every team will have unbelievable talent across the board every year (unless you are lucky enough to be the head football coach at Bellwood -Antis, Tyrone, Clearfield, Bishop McCort etc..). Coach Palfey stepped into a tough situation. Joining the WPIAL probably didn't make things any easier. Cut the man some slack and give him him time to build the program back up. Its not as if Altoona was was winning district and state titles before him.

[WilsonJet]

I do not think he is being knocked, I heard that Coach Sponsky was contacted and the source is solid.

[WPIAL~Titan]

I agree that Palfey deserves at least one more season. Remember, he was hired very late before last season (early July, I believe), so he does deserve another year. With that said, losing games 60-0, 44-7, 75-6, etc. will get old. Fast. I hope that the folks in charge there have a little more patience with the guy.

I actually feel for Palfey. I am sure he is trying hard and doing the best he can, but in all reality, he has been set up for failure. Palfey should never have been hired as a AAAA head coach in the first place with zero head coaching experience at ANY LEVEL, let alone HS AAAA. Being an assiatant at Tyrone and lining up against/preparing for Bald Eagle and Phillipsburg every week ain't AAAA, not even close.

I'd also like to address the Sponsky talk here. Does anyone here really think Sponsky can be a savior to Altoona football? Are you kidding me? No athletic transfers or recruiting there (ie-Bishop Blacklick). Do you really think that someone in charge at AASD would contact Sponsky during the season and have a serious conversation about the Altoona football job? That's not how things are done.

I also wonder who Altoona would come up with if they did a more exhaustive staewide or nationwide search. Their 3 finalists were Palfey, and two coaches with a few years of head coaching experince in class A. Not that all 3 aren't good, young coaches, but none have the experinecve or qualifications to be finalists for a job like Altoona. I actually thought it was April Fool's Day when I read that in the Mirror during the end of that search.

Certainly with Altoona's tradition, facilities, and sheer size and resources they should be able to come up with MUCH BETTER QUALIFIED finalists than those 3. I have to believe that other successful HS coaches from class AAA or AAAA, Collegiate assistants, etc. would jump at an opportunity to coach there.

Sponsky, Smith, and Palfey, are you joking? If that's what they came up with, I have to believe that they didn't even try to recruit and speak with higher qualitry candidates or that some behind the scenes political force drove the search process.

[Crimson09Crazy]

He still has to coach the kids, and Sponsky has done a good job of that. He may have gotten a player or two over the years, but the dude still had to coach the teams. Altoona SD is bigger then the area where BC pulls kids from. So I think he'll be fine, he just needs to invigorate the program, and I believe it starts with the Junior High Program, Keith and Roosevelt just combined what? 2 years ago? They need to build strong 7th and 8th grades now....And obviously the coach now hasn't gotten a good chance to do something like that yet.

I believe the current coach needs a few years, and by then Bishop Carroll will probably be shut down and Sponsky will have a public school job by then.

[kmr]

Why would top coaches want to come to Central Pa and coach at Altoona ? What makes the Altoona program so enticing? When they put the job up 2 yrs ago wouldn't some of those AAA and AAAA coaches you speak of put their name in, I didn't hear anything. I don't think its worth it to pick up your family and move it to coach a quad A school that really has been avg the last 10 yrs. (AJ brought them up to avg) You talk about the administration hiring the last coach whats that say? It tells me they really don't care about football at AAHS. Why would a coach come here want to work for people like that. Wpial how much do you know about Sponsky and his career? You talk about recruiting well don't you need that at Altoona a good recruiter to bring out those athletes out of those 900 some kids. Sponsky has been asked to coach at small colleges such as Towson State DB's and LB's. My opinion they screwed Sponsky they went w/ a name and not the abiltity to coach. I don't care how much talent you recruit you need a coach for that talent. Wpial so if the coach from Southern Columbia or Steelton would put their names in they wouldn't be qualified? Just honest ?'s not trying to cause a fight over the internet.

[kmr]

Crimson it would be nice to see Sponsky at CC if BC closes ahh wishful thinking.