As we get older, our perspective on things changes.
Life events change the way we look at things, give us a broader understanding of what exactly is going on, and those experiences give us the ability to handle certain situations certain ways.
Mike Brennan admits that 10 years ago, he wouldn’t have been able to take the head coaching position at Hazleton Area High School and be successful.
A passionate, intense, emotional coach, Brennan compiled a 113-62 career record in 13 seasons as a head coach at Nativity, Mount Carmel and Blue Mountain. He guided the Red Tornadoes to PIAA Class AA state titles in 2000 and 2002.
But after four years at Blue Mountain, Brennan stepped down after the 2012 season and did not coach at all in 2013. The 44-year-old Nativity grad and Orwigsburg resident said that the year off re-energized him and renewed his love and spirit for coaching football.
That new energy is evident in Brennan’s first year as coach of the Cougars.
Hazleton Area has struggled so far this season, taking a 1-7 record into tonight’s non-conference game at Daniel Boone. The Cougars have a roster of 73 players, but of the 14 seniors, only three see extensive playing time.
“It’s been fun,” Brennan said Tuesday by telephone. “I’m energized, excited to be back in coaching.
“I needed the year away, and I’m excited and glad to be at Hazleton Area. It’s a great place. We have numbers, we have hard-working kids and tough kids who want to play football.”
Brennan inherited a tough situation, but he knew that coming in.
The Cougars’ last winning season was in 2009 — Hazleton has gone 8-22 over the past four years. The JV team only played four games a year ago, and the junior high program had been cut. This season is the first time in five years that Hazleton Area has had a junior high team.
“I knew this was going to be a learning experience for them, and there was going to be some growing pains,” Brennan said. “There was a lack of player development, but I knew that when I accepted the job.
“I know, without a doubt, that we’re going to win at Hazleton Area. I also knew it was not going to be in 2014.”
Brennan’s first step to rebuilding Hazleton’s program was to hire some young, knowledgeable, energetic assistant coaches that were successful at the high school level. He brought in Nate Eachus, an All-State running back who excelled at the college level and played one year with Kansas City in the NFL. He added James Goines, a former Mount Carmel standout, who has a degree in athletic training. And he hired Dennis Buchman, an All-State defensive back for the Cougars, to join the staff.
Brennan also changed to a run-first, I-formation offense. His goal is to make Hazleton Area able to play the physical brand of football that is needed to be successful every week in Division I of the Wyoming Valley Conference.
“The first step, absolutely the biggest step, is getting these kids in the weight room in November. We have to become a bigger, stronger football team,” Brennan said. “The future is bright, but we can’t get to where we want to unless we drastically increase our strength and size.”
Another thing that put things into perspective for Brennan was the death of his father, Mike Sr., in June at the age of 65.
Brennan’s father was “a big football guy” and went to all of his son’s games. His death allowed Brennan, who teaches gifted students at Hazleton Area’s high school, to realize the entire picture of being a high school football head coach.
“Could I have taken on this challenge a couple of years ago? No,” Brennan said. “The loss of my dad, it put a lot of things into perspective. I do things differently, approach things differently, I’m much more steady. I’m a better person than I used to be.
“My dad was glad I was getting back into coaching, and that helps motivate you. It gets you to do things the right way. You realize that’s it’s not all about wins and losses.
“Our kids work hard for us every day. Sometimes when you’re a coach, you lose sight of that.
“In our life, there are different life events as we get older that change us all, usually for the better.”
Player of the Week
Zach Martin
Blue Mountain
A senior linebacker, Martin had a team-high 10 tackles and a sack in the Eagles’ win over Tamaqua. For the season, Martin has 81 tackles and four sacks.
Honorable mention: Tevin Murray, North Schuylkill; Scott Werner, Pine Grove; Ryan Fink, Schuylkill Haven.
(Boyer covers high school football for The Republican-Herald. Follow him on Twitter
@pubsportsboss)