Leetonia football coach steps down

LEETONIA — When Matt Altomare was growing up in Leetonia, there was only one thing he wanted to be when he was older.

“A lot of kids, when they’re young, dream about being an astronaut or a firefighter,” Altomare said. “Me being in a football environment, all I wanted to be was a football coach.”

Since 1999, he’s had that chance, serving as the defensive coordinator under his father, Artie, at Leetonia High School. Starting this fall, he’ll be in charge as Artie Altomare stepped down after 28 years as a head coach for the Bears.

“I’ve been a coach for 33 years and a head coach for 28 and the timing just seemed right,” said Artie Altomare, who retired from teaching two years ago. “There are things I’d like to do and at this time I just couldn’t put the time in to be a head coach.”

Artie Altomare, who still plans to be an assistant, has a 151-132-2 record with six Tri-County League titles. He has more wins than any coach in Columbiana County. He was head coach from 1976-95, then spent two years as Salem’s offensive coordinator before returning as head coach in 1999.

Matt Altomare, a former Bears player and a 2000 graduate of Youngstown State University, has taken on more responsibility in recent years, something that helped his father make the decision.

“I’ve been thinking about it for one or two years and it was a tough decision, but at the same time it’s an easy decision because I know the program’s in good hands,” said Artie. “Not just because he’s my son but because he’s a heckuva coach. He’s going to bring his own ideas and I’m sure he’ll move the program in the right direction.”

Matt is confident he can make the jump. But he also knows being the head coach has drawbacks, too.

“Before, whenever we’d hear someone yelling stuff about an Altomare, we’d blame it on each other,” Matt joked. “Now, it’s going to fall on me.”