Congrats to AC, but What About Medford?
AC Snags Superbowl Victory, Medford Tries to be Happy
– Mustang at Large
This weekend Arlington Catholic earned their first high school Superbowl victory since 1993 when they trounced Norton, 32-20.
Oh, how sweet it would have been to see Mustangs running around Gillette Stadium instead of Cougars.
The Cougars, league champions for the third year in a row, certainly deserve praise for all of the hard work they have put into the season. But I can’t help but wonder- with several Medford names on the team roster and on the coaching staff, why aren’t these people with Medford and why isn’t Medford winning a Superbowl?
This column is not to take away from AC’s victory, and it’s not to reprimand those that choose AC over Medford to work or to send their children to school. AC’s victory raises the provocative question of talent- how to cultivate and keep it in Medford, for both the players and the coaches.
Medford is on the lookout for a new head football coach.  On the one hand, the team has nowhere to go but up, after a disappointing, winless season where the final scores didn’t always reflect the Mustangs’ effort on the field. On the other hand, who is going to want to take over the team?
No matter who gets the job- and the administration has an opportunity here to really make a statement with the new hire- Medford needs to have patience as a community with the new coach and the team. It will take several seasons to turn the team around. In addition, it’s very likely Medford could find itself out of the Greater Boston League and in a larger, much more competitive league in the near future, which means the turnaround time is even longer.
So, what do you think, Medford? How do we keep the best players here? How do we attract the best coaches? Anyone know Tom Brady? Leave your comments below.
And just to prove I’m not hatin’ on AC, click here to catch highlights of the game and here to catch video of the award ceremony with Bob Kraft.
Email news@insidemedford.com to submit a piece for Mustang at Large.
I have the answer ask the kids who are currently players on the team “who they would like to see coach for Medford” I think it’s always was a friend of a friend but the next coach should be to utililze the talent that Medford has now..Diamond Ferri used to be a Medford player but he went gto Everett because of the coaching there
Hire someone from the city who has played in this city who can understand the pride and with that i think you will see a city and alumni rally around that coach
The biggest problem is having a headmaster who has to control everything and stick his nose into all the athletic department’s business. He puts students, who could be good athletes and really contribute to a team, on academic probation. Now I know you need to show order and punishment for things that a student has done wrong, but he doesn’t give many second chances and will leave some kids on probation for the whole season or even the entire year. Give me a break! Another reason is the attitude of some athletes. There is no “TEAM” concept with them and no real committment to work hard to gain success, they think it should be handed to them.
You have the athletes in Medford but there needs to be smart decisions made about a right coach, not a joke of a coach or a possible criminal. Someone who can restore order and discipline and weed out the cancers of a program.
As for AC, there was less than a handful of kids from Medford on the football team and the coaches did a tremendous job. Just because they have Medford roots doens’t mean they have to coach there.
I answer you hit it on the nose the right coach needs to be put in place. In regards to the athletes team spirit and the discipline problem that can be handled by the coah on the practice field because there are ways to punish a student a lot more on the field than off. I coached Medford Pop Warner and always let the kids know the team concept because when 1 kids screws up I punished them all that way they can watch out for one another and kind of police one another. We just need to get the students to buy in on that concept. My last thought is everybody says football team but the next coach should make it a program that is all year round with a couple of vacation breaks just like Everett, BC and Brockton High school consider themselves. I loved all the kids I coached in the past in Pop Warner and the feeling was mutual. Those kids will be Seniors in 2009 and they know what it mean to have team spirit because it’s an us and them atitude. Good Luck Medford! Mike Sully and James Maurino
Fan,
You are on the right track—only one problem with the “year round” concept of football team. The MIAA does not allow you to practice/coach your team out of season–Everett and BC High do so ILLEGALLY, yes I said it, THEY CHEAT. We will see what they future holds for Mustang Ball, Happy Holidays to all—Answer man out!!!
Medford Has decent talent, but the problem seems to be there schedule. This year it was not to bad because they played some d2-d3 teams but I mean they need to play the newton souths of the world and not the Readings of the world. If they have a decent schedule with average oppenents they could have a successful season. I am not saying to play all weak teams, but in order to build a winning tradition, you must first teach the team to win. once you teach them to win, then you begin building a winning program. thats when you begin to attract people to play football, then all the athletes appear on your doorstep. I am no expert, but I care about this program and the success it carries. These kids need to learn how to win and hopefully they will.
The answer is simple, and sits in the Supt. of Schools Office…politics and personal gain ahead of the student/athletes at MHS for years. What other possible reason for overlooking the charges against Mr. Atkins, when he was hired as Head Football Coach? A simple background check should have eliminated him from consideration. Why would Peter Mugar been hired as Head Basketball Coach in 2004-05, when he was clearly not qualified? Could his Dad’s money have anything to do with that? Why was John Hannah, and his domestic abuse charges, being considered as Football Coach in 2004? The chance to hang with a celebrity perhaps? The decision to hire a coach should be left to the Athletic Director, not a school administrator. A coach should be required to attend games at lower-levels, such as Pop Warner Football, Little League and Babe Ruth Baseball, CYO Basketball, etc. to introduce themselves to the kids. If they are not willing to do that, don’t hire them. Maybe the kids would be encouraged to attend Medford High and play sports for their city if they were familiar with the coaching staff. I guarantee you that coaches from the Catholic Schools attend those games, which results in kids going somewhere other than MHS. When Ron Zampell was the A.D. he scheduled buses, combed his hair, and talked about himself. Never saw him, or his coaches, at an event outside of High School. Bob Maloney has promised to change that, and that his coaches would be at these Jr. High School age games. So far, I haven’t seen it, but hopefully things will improve. Talented kids live in Medford, but unless we have coaches that can teach these kids how to play hard, and win, you will never convince them to be Mustangs. Mr. Belson has a lot of explaining to do, and the School Committee should be asking the questions. I feel badly for the student/athletes at MHS, since they have been short-changed for many years. Many of those kids need athletics to keep them focused on school, so it has another dimension as well. Hopefully, change is on the way. Go Mustangs !!