Football is in the Pavlanskys’ blood

November 6, 2015 at 12:10a.m.

Even before they were out of grade school, even before they were old enough to play organized sports, Mike and Tom Pavlansky were destined to become football coaches.

The foundation was set in the early 1970s when Mike and Tom, along with brothers Pat and Dave would pile into the family station wagon and head to Poland High School, where their dad Dave was the Bulldogs’ coach.

“Six hours at practice, every day in the summer. It was the best time of our lives. We loved every minute of it,” Tom said. “I was just a very young kid, and those players and coaches, I looked up to them like you can’t imagine. They left a profound impact.”

An even more profound impact was felt in 1976 when Dave Sr. was diagnosed with brain cancer. The elder Pavlansky underwent what appeared to be a successful surgery, however the cancer returned in 1978. That fall, he led Poland to a 9-1 season, losing only to eventual state champion Brookfield. Pavlansky passed away on Nov. 22, just weeks after coaching his last game.

Tom was just nine years old at the time of his father’s death. Mike was 15. Yet both knew that they would some day follow in their dad’s footsteps.

“I don’t remember the football as much as I remember the effect my dad had on the people around him,” Mike said. “The coaches, their families, the players, it was amazing how they all got along and were all there for each other. It was truly a family atmosphere.

“To this day, I still learn from those days and those people.”

Tom remembers the “incredible bond that existed because of football.” The unity came not only from those close to home and at the high school level, but from legends of the game.

Soon after Dave Sr. was diagnosed with a tumor, Ohio State coach Woody Hayes arranged for Pavlansky to have surgery at Ohio State University Hospital. Hayes and his wife Anne spent countless hours with the Pavlansky family throughout the ordeal.

“Here was a guy coaching at the highest level of college football,” Tom said. “He had so many things to deal with and to worry about, but he put our family at the top of the list.

“Looking back, that had a huge impact on my life. I experienced the powerful influence teachers and coaches can have on the lives of those around them. I experienced the unusually close bond that exists within the coaching and teaching community. I definitely wanted to carry on my dad’s legacy.”

This weekend, the Pavlansky legacy will continue in playoff fashion.

Mike, who has been coaching at Canfield since 1997 (head coach since 2001) will lead his Cardinals (8-2) in a Division III, Region 7 game tonight at Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary.

On Saturday, Tom will guide Lakeview (7-3) as it travels to Mantua Crestwood in a Division IV, Region 11 game. Tom has been coaching the Bulldogs for 17 years.

“It’s pretty neat that we’re both in the playoffs, but more than anything it’s a testament to the Canfield and Cortland communities,” Mike said. “I think we’re both lucky in that we coach at a place that values the importance of athletics and other extracurricular activities. And we both have a great support system within the school and community.”

Mike began his high school coaching career at Lisbon, where he was the the offensive coordinator for two years before assuming the head role for another two years. He moved on to Mentor, first as a defensive coordinator then head coach before returning to the area in 1997. He was an assistant at Canfield for four years before taking over the program in 2001.

Tom began coaching on a volunteer basis at Poland under Reid Lamport. He spent four years at Ohio State as a student manager and was a graduate assistant at Colorado State in 1991 before returning to the Mahoning Valley. He was an assistant at Lakeview for six years before being promoted to head coach in 1999.

“You don’t see a lot of continuity in programs these days, so in that regard Mike and I have been pretty blessed,” Tom said. “I think it speaks to the fact that we’re surrounded by some great people who are dedicated to the youth of the respective communities.

“I’ve also been blessed with a great staff, and I think Mike will tell you the same thing. You’re only good as the people around you.”

Mike and Tom are also blessed to have each other. Win or lose, they generally touch base soon after games to share the victories and console on the setbacks. They also lean on one another when it comes to sharing philosophies and strategy.

“Oh sure, Tom would be a coach I would turn to for help even if he weren’t my brother,” Mike said. “We’re always comparing notes, bouncing ideas off of one another. Certainly I’ve taken some of what he does on offense and brought it over to Canfield.

“Offensively, we may appear to be totally different. But in reality I think we have the same philosophy. Control the clock, play very solid on special teams and defense and put your team in a position to win in the fourth quarter.”

Meanwhile, Tom insists that he has had the better end of the deal, saying he learns much more from Mike.

“It’s never been a sibling rivalry thing with us, it’s just the opposite,” Tom said. “From a learning standpoint, he’s great to have around. But beyond that, he’s just always been there for me. When we were struggling in the early 2000’s, he was always the first one who reached out with words of encouragement.”

Though Canfield and Lakeview meet in a scrimmage every summer, Mike and Tom have never gone up against each other in the regular season.

“For one thing, we’d just never put our mother through that ordeal,” Mike said.

The two brothers have also never coached together, though they did spend time this past summer coaching an Ohio all-star team in the Ohio-Michigan Borderline Classic.

“As close as we are, we’re still brothers,” Tom says with a chuckle. “In a perfect world things would work out great, but our stubbornness would probably get the best of us.

“Seriously though, for both of us the bottom line is making sure that the kids have the best experience possible while playing football.”

Canfield enters the playoffs on a four-game winning streak. The Cardinals opened the season with a loss to Louisville (9-1) and lost in Week 6 to playoff-bound Boardman. The Cards ended the regular season by beating Poland (9-1) in a must-win game.

“Our kids started to believe in themselves after we went to Kenston in Week 3 and played really well,” Mike said. “The great thing about this group is how they rebounded from their two losses. It showed a lot of character.”

Lakeview had to battle through a rash on injuries, including one which has kept starting quarterback Angelo Marino sidelined since the midway point of the season. Like Canfield, the Bulldogs rebounded after each loss to log an impressive victory.

“Our kids are so resilient, and that’s just the type of student this community produces year after year,” Tom said.

Oddly enough, while football very much bonds Mike and Tom, it also keeps them apart when it matters most. Because both Lakeview and Canfield play nearly all of their games on Fridays, the two brothers rarely get to see each other in action.

However, Tom will be able to make the trip to Akron tonight to watch Canfield play SVSM, while Mike will travel to Mantua on Saturday to watch Lakeview take on Crestwood.

“We don’t get too many chances like this at all, so I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Mike said.