Father-son coaching duo creating something special for Marple Newtown High School football
NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. (CBS) -- Coaches always talk about a football team being like a family. But for one team in Delaware County, the coaches are family. The father and son duo have become quite the dynamic duo for Marple Newtown High School.
"We put in a lot of work over the summer," senior lineman Josh Tiger-Wesley said. "We've had a lot of guys in the gym and we just kept working every day."
"Working offseason, listening to the coaches," senior wide receiver and safety Bryan Bogan said.
"We 've gotten here by great senior leadership," head coach and athletic director Chris Gicking said, "and our coaching staff is unbelievable."
Chris Gicking says he's proud of Marple Newtown's 4-0 start and, of course, he was complimentary of his coaching staff.
You see it's a family affair at Marple Newtown. The defensive line coach is Chris's dad Harry.
"He's good to yell at me at least once a practice about three or four times during a game," Chris said. "It's usually the same message about a few things. You know, old-school dad. So it's great having him as part of the staff."
"Being a defensive coach, sometimes if he wants to go for it on 4th and long instead of punting the ball, then it doesn't work," Harry said. "But for the most part, I've got to know my role."
Coach is a role Harry knows well. He was a coach and a teacher for 35 years at Conestoga High School, the Central League powerhouse that Marple Newtown happens to be playing Friday night.
"A lot of people know each other on both sides," Chris said. "At the end of the day, that's great, but it's not what it's about. It's about the kids."
And the kid that matters most to Harry is Chris.
"Very proud," Harry said. "It takes hard work and he loves it. And he loves the players. I'm just happy at my age that I can still coach and coach with my son. It doesn't happen often. For me, it's very satisfying."
