dogman
07-26-2006, 12:08 PM
West Shamokin football coach Shawn Liotta doesn’t have any hobbies.
He doesn’t hunt.
He doesn’t fish.
Football is his passion, and by signing a one-year contract to coach an expansion American Indoor Football League team, which will play its home games at Rostraver Ice Garden in Westmoreland County, Liotta’s going to get his fix.
The AIFL begins training camp in January, and its championship is in June. Add that to West Shamokin’s season, which begins in mid-August and, depending on the playoffs, can end in November, and Liotta has a chance to spend about 10 months coaching football over the next year.
Liotta, a 1998 Springdale graduate who used to be an assistant coach at Duquesne University, said that coaching the AIFL team will not get in the way of his responsibilities at West Shamokin. “The big thing will be budgeting my time,” Liotta said. Liotta, 26, said that by living in Freeport, he’s “centrally located” between his two jobs. He only works part-time for the AIFL team, which does not have an owner or a nickname yet.
Liotta has been “constantly busy” lately, getting ready for the Wolves’ training camp, while making calls to potential players for the AIFL team.
However, once West Shamokin’s season begins, Liotta will be “committed 100 percent to putting the team in the playoffs.” “Nothing takes away from that,” Liotta said. “Building a program there is my top priority, and then, when the season is over, my top priority is the indoor team.”
Once the indoor season begins, though, Liotta said he won’t stop building the Wolves’ program. He said he will make sure the weight room is open for players, either by opening it himself, or by having one of his assistants open it. It won’t stop there. Liotta plans on inviting his players to some of the indoor team’s games, and he’s thinking about hosting football camps with his AIFL players near Rural Valley and Pittsburgh. “The big thing with the AIFL is it stresses community involvement,” Liotta said. “The public support will keep the franchise going.” Liotta has the support of West Shamokin administrators. Athletic director Tom McClaine said he is happy for Liotta.
“He’ll gain valuable experience that will carry over to his high school career,” McClaine said.
Until an owner is found, the indoor franchise will be owned by the league, which is heading into its third season. The AIFL president is 27-year-old Andrew Haines, and he said he liked Liotta because, like him, the Springdale graduate has already accomplished a lot at an early age. “I wouldn’t be where I am if someone hadn’t given me a shot,” Haines said. “It’s tough to become a coach at the high school level that young, especially in Western Pennsylvania.”
There are already a “handful” of high school coaches pulling double duty in the AIFL, which Haines said he would like to expand from 16 teams to 20 before the start of the 2007 season.
Another reason Haines hired Liotta is his offensive system. The AIFL is not known for its defense. Haines said teams score, on average, a combined 100 points per game. “He runs that spread offense,” Haines said. “And offensive coaches excel in this league.” Haines added, “With Shawn’s background, it won’t be an easy transition, but it will be easier than if he was coaching the Wing-T.”
He doesn’t hunt.
He doesn’t fish.
Football is his passion, and by signing a one-year contract to coach an expansion American Indoor Football League team, which will play its home games at Rostraver Ice Garden in Westmoreland County, Liotta’s going to get his fix.
The AIFL begins training camp in January, and its championship is in June. Add that to West Shamokin’s season, which begins in mid-August and, depending on the playoffs, can end in November, and Liotta has a chance to spend about 10 months coaching football over the next year.
Liotta, a 1998 Springdale graduate who used to be an assistant coach at Duquesne University, said that coaching the AIFL team will not get in the way of his responsibilities at West Shamokin. “The big thing will be budgeting my time,” Liotta said. Liotta, 26, said that by living in Freeport, he’s “centrally located” between his two jobs. He only works part-time for the AIFL team, which does not have an owner or a nickname yet.
Liotta has been “constantly busy” lately, getting ready for the Wolves’ training camp, while making calls to potential players for the AIFL team.
However, once West Shamokin’s season begins, Liotta will be “committed 100 percent to putting the team in the playoffs.” “Nothing takes away from that,” Liotta said. “Building a program there is my top priority, and then, when the season is over, my top priority is the indoor team.”
Once the indoor season begins, though, Liotta said he won’t stop building the Wolves’ program. He said he will make sure the weight room is open for players, either by opening it himself, or by having one of his assistants open it. It won’t stop there. Liotta plans on inviting his players to some of the indoor team’s games, and he’s thinking about hosting football camps with his AIFL players near Rural Valley and Pittsburgh. “The big thing with the AIFL is it stresses community involvement,” Liotta said. “The public support will keep the franchise going.” Liotta has the support of West Shamokin administrators. Athletic director Tom McClaine said he is happy for Liotta.
“He’ll gain valuable experience that will carry over to his high school career,” McClaine said.
Until an owner is found, the indoor franchise will be owned by the league, which is heading into its third season. The AIFL president is 27-year-old Andrew Haines, and he said he liked Liotta because, like him, the Springdale graduate has already accomplished a lot at an early age. “I wouldn’t be where I am if someone hadn’t given me a shot,” Haines said. “It’s tough to become a coach at the high school level that young, especially in Western Pennsylvania.”
There are already a “handful” of high school coaches pulling double duty in the AIFL, which Haines said he would like to expand from 16 teams to 20 before the start of the 2007 season.
Another reason Haines hired Liotta is his offensive system. The AIFL is not known for its defense. Haines said teams score, on average, a combined 100 points per game. “He runs that spread offense,” Haines said. “And offensive coaches excel in this league.” Haines added, “With Shawn’s background, it won’t be an easy transition, but it will be easier than if he was coaching the Wing-T.”