Poland football a family affair
By JOE SCALZO
Vindicator sports staff
POLAND — The offensive line coach at Poland is a guy named Paul Hulea, who used to be famous as the team’s head coach and now is better known as the quarterback’s father.
Usually, this sort of arrangement would result in the coach telling his lineman something along the lines of, “Listen you blankety-blanks, that’s my son back there so you guys better keep his jersey clean.”
Not Hulea.
“Nah, I tell them he can take a hit,” he said, unleashing his inimitable chuckle. “He’s a tough kid.”
Gannon Hulea is also a smart kid. The son of two teachers (Paul teaches at Poland, Raedine at Columbiana), Gannon led the Bulldogs to a 14-7 win over arch-rival Canfield last week — the biggest win in his career, by the way — then spent last weekend in a wild, hedonistic celebration that included working as a busboy at Fonderlac Country Club on Saturday then filming a movie for his novel class on Sunday.
“I’m not sure I would have done that when I was a senior in high school,” said Paul, chuckling.
That discipline has helped Gannon in the classroom (he has a 3.4 grade point average) and on the field. The two-way starter has thrown for 1,075 yards, seven TDs and four interceptions this season while also playing well at free safety, leading the Bulldogs (8-2) to a share of the All-American Conference Red Tier title and their second straight playoff appearance.
Although he played soccer for one year when he was younger, Gannon was destined to be a football player. His father was the head coach at Crestview for six years before leading Poland from 1996-2004, winning the Div. III state title in 1999.
“He never pushed me to do anything, but just growing up around it since the time I was born, it was football, football, football all the time,” said Gannon. “It’s something I’ve always known.”
Gannon was a ballboy from fourth grade through eighth grade (his father’s last year as head coach) and remembers being in awe of the players on those teams.
“I looked up to those guys,” he said. “I thought they were the greatest thing in the world.”
But, when Paul stepped down after the 2004 season, it looked like he’d be watching his son from the stands, not the sidelines.
Then, before last season, head coach Mark Brungard was short on assistants, and Paul had the opportunity to coach the offensive line. He had been an assistant at Westminster and for the Mahoning Valley Thunder — he even did some radio analysis for one season — but knew a return to the Poland sidelines would give him the chance to spend time with his son while avoiding the headaches of head coaching.
“Mark is a great guy,” said Hulea. “He’s got a lot of good ideas and I have a few left, although not as many as he does. We put it together really well.”
Gannon started as a defensive back as a sophomore, then moved under center last season where his strong arm and running skills helped the Bulldogs overcome the loss of Chris Lovell to graduation. Under Gannon, Poland finished 7-3 in 2007 with a loss to Canal Fulton Northwest in the playoffs. He earned honorable mention all-league.
He’s been even better this year.
“It’s been awesome to spend this time with him,” said Paul. “In all honesty, a lot of times during practice we won’t even have a conversation because I’m coaching the line and Mark is coaching the skill guys.
“But as a father, I coach him every day. It’s just not always about football.
Gannon isn’t an elite prospect — “He’s not going to Ohio State or Notre Dame,” his father said — but the 6-foot-2, 200-pounder may be good enough to play at the I-AA level. (Hint, hint, Jon Heacock.)
“That’s always been a goal of mine,” Gannon said. “Hopefully that comes true. We’ll see in the next few months.”
For now, the focus is on Saturday’s game with Granville. And if there’s any free time left, it goes to the Huleas’ new dog, Duke, a stray mutt that Raedine took in. After years of being a cat-only family, the two male Huleas have enjoyed the change.
“Gannon and Paul begged me to have a dog,” said Readine, adding that the oldest daughter, Kelsey, had always held a crucial no vote. “If you could see these two grown men baby-talking to the puppy, it’s worth the show.”
Soon, however, the son will leave the father (and Duke) for college.
But the memories will remain.
“I’ve had moments over the last two years that I wouldn’t give up for anything,” said Paul, “and now I’ll always have them.
“I’m pretty lucky.”
scalzo@vindy.com
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