Columbiana small, but getting bigger

The Clippers football coach and superintendent spoke to Curbstone Coaches.

By GREG GULAS

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

BOARDMAN — The Ohio High School Athletic Association has a rich, storied tradition with many of the schools from the Mahoning Valley playing a big part in the chronicling of that history.

While Division I and the upper ranks seem to garner much of the attention throughout the regular season and at playoff time, those in the lower divisions are just as responsible for much of the OHSAA’s overall successes.

Speaking Monday to the Curbstone Coaches during their weekly meeting at the Blue Wolf Banquet Center, Columbiana High head football coach Bob Spaite and superintendent of schools Ron Iarussi were pleased to address small-town, but not necessarily small-time athletics.

A former assistant and head scholastic coach with roots in football, basketball and track and field, Iarussi noted that interaction with the kids and athletes on a daily basis plays an important part in a school’s overall success.

“When coaching, being able to interact with the students and athletes is a key ingredient to success,” Iarussi said. “As superintendent, I don’t get the opportunity to interact with the students as much as I would like.”

As a commentator and color analyst for scholastic football games on both Fox 17/62 TV and Clear Channel Radio broadcasts throughout the grid season, Iarussi added that is has been great to get to work more with the kids and coaches once again.

With approximately 1,000 students in the Columbiana Exempt Village School District, Iarussi said that while the Clippers are the smallest school in the upper-tier of the Inter Tri-County League, being small actually works to their advantage.

“Playing the larger schools works to your advantage; if you are fortunate enough to win,” Iarussi said. “We are also most proud of our academic accomplishments as well.

“With 11 housing developments currently under construction, we anticipate adding students down the road,” Iarussi said. “Growth and building concerns will definitely need to be addressed.”

The Clippers’ recent gridiron success can be traced to one person — Spaite.

The school’s head mentor since 1984, the all-time winningest grid coach in school history has fashioned a 102-48 overall mark with three league titles, six playoff appearances (five in Division VI and one in Division V), three regional runner-up trophies and two undefeated regular seasons.

A contributing writer to Bigger, Faster, Stronger magazine, he is the founder and organizer who continues to run one of the largest power lifting meets in the state. In fact, the event drew more than 500 lifters at this year’s event.

His formula for competing as the smallest school in the top tier of the conference is really very simple.

“Make sure that you have everything covered and do the best that you can each and every time out,” Spaite said.

That formula includes faith, hope and love.

“You impart to the team to put their trust in you and at the end of the day, simply prove them right,” Spaite said. “As far as hope, when you’re on the other side of the state you don’t know of your opponents’ mystique. That is why you play the game.

“There also has to be love as well. The kids have to care about one another, covering each other’s back side. Caring and love will get you through the rough times.

“Whenever there is a great upset, look at faith, hope and love,”Spaite said.

The Curbstone Coaches will break for the holiday season, returning on Jan 7 with Clem Zumpella, commissioner of the newly-formed All-America Conference serving as guest speaker.