43
New coach, same expectations
BOARDMAN
Following in the football steps of Dan Reardon, Ursuline High School’s most successful football coach, Larry Kempe will be expected to produce more of the same.
Under the new coach’s system, however, he’s starting with little steps.
“I’m making sure everybody understands what we’re supposed to be doing here,” Kempe said.
On Monday, Kempe made a return appearance to the Blue Wolf Restaurant, but his first as Ursuline’s head coach as guest speaker before the Curbstone Coaches.
Kempe, who was promoted on Dec. 12, succeeds Reardon, who took the head coaching position of a high school in Ft. Collins, Colo.
Kempe was Ursuline’s defensive coordinator during six of the eight seasons under Reardon, whose teams appeared in four consecutive state title games, of which the Irish won three straight.
Kempe proudly pointed out of that Ursuline played 59 of 60 consecutive football-season weeks from 2007-2010. (The one blip was an open date in 2009).
The 58-year-old Kempe, known for wearing shorts sidelines regardless of weather, stressed three areas: character, academics and football.
“We want good, solid people — people of character, not characters. We want individuals who will work hard at academics — do the best they can do — and take conduct seriously,” he said, adding that he’s already eliminated three potential prospects from the weightroom for disregarding rules.
“Then we’ll worry about football,” said Kempe.
While Kempe’s game-day disposition was described as that of “someone who had just missed their bus,” Ursuline’s new coach won’t have it any other way.
“Yes, I get excited and my verbiage isn’t the best, but that’s the great passion I have for coaching and I won’t apologize for it,” he said.
While Ursuline’s first football championship came in 2000 in Div. IV, the school’s next four crowns came in Div. V.
“We’re Division V playing a Division III-or-better schedule,” Kempe said of the upcoming season’s schedule of road games with Zanesville, Cleveland St. Edward, Erie Cathedral Prep, Steubenville and Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary’s and home games against East High, Mooney, Erie Strong Vincent, Cleveland East Tech and Mentor Lake Catholic.
“Those challenges will prepare us for weeks 11-15,” said Kempe, who is relieved that the Irish don’t have a road game similar to one to New York City in 2011.
Kempe said he would like to establish leadership from within to avoid a slow start similar to Ursuline’s 2011 season. The Irish lost their first three and six of their first eight, missing the playoffs by .71 points.
“Last year, we stepped up at the end [of the season], but at the beginning that’s probably what was missing,” he said. “We didn’t step up and do things at the beginning that we did at the end. Once we got that straightened up, everybody saw how we played.”
Kempe’s staff will include former UHS players John DeSantis, Andrew Frasco, Dom Cutrone, Michael Frasco, Art Carter, Ryan Bonnacci and Ryan Kelly as well as others, including Brad Turnbull, Lee DiGiacomo, Matt Green and Pat Kelly. DeSantis is the offensive coordinator.