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McSuley resigns as Girard coach
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By Jon Moffett
The successful football coach said he will miss preparing for Friday night games.
GIRARD — After 30 years of football, Bud McSuley is ready to take a few plays off.
The longtime Girard High School football coach announced his retirement Monday, capping off almost 20 years of service with the Indians.
“You just get that feeling that you need a break,” McSuley said. “I’ve been coaching since 1980, was assistant for 17 and a head coach for 13, and prior to that I played. So the majority of my life has been football. It just seemed like the right time.”
McSuley got his start as the seventh- and eighth-grade coach in Liberty. From there was an assistant coach with Howland, Liberty and Girard. He was the head coach of the Indians for the past 13 seasons and was the offensive coordinator and a position coach the previous five years.
Girard athletic director Joe Cappuzzello said the school will miss the familiar sight of McSuley on the sideline.
“[McSuley] has the most wins in Girard history, and that speaks for itself,” he said. “He will be missed. He’s a great motivator and he will still be part of the Girard family.”
But McSuley will still be involved with the school. He said he’ll continue to teach business education and accounting at the school.
McSuley finished with a career record of 84-54. He also lead the Indians to four playoff appearances and two league championships. He retirement comes after leading the tribe to an 11-1 season, losing to Woodridge in the Division IV, Region 13 semifinal in November.
Certain aspects of the game will be missed, McSuley said.
“My coaching staff and I have become good friends and that is very, very important to me,” he said. “Working with the young men and watching them succeed, that’s something I would say most coaches would miss. And the preparation and getting ready for Friday night. Every body sees the result Friday night, but you don’t see how we go about it unless you’re in our shoes.”
Having spent so much time at the school, McSuley said he’ll use his upcoming summer off to travel with his wife, Patty, with whom he’ll celebrate his 25th wedding anniversary in March, and spend time with his children. His son Will, 19, is a sophomore at Kent State University and daughter Heather, 17, is a senior at Boardman High School.
The school will continue to discuss the options for its coaching future, Cappuzzello said.
“It’s really pretty early. We just got the resignation on Monday and will go through the process.”
jmoffett@vindy.com