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Longtime Tanner Wlasuk named Peabody football coach

Wednesday, May, 07 By Matt Williams
Staff writer

As recently as a few months ago, Scott Wlasuk had never imagined he'd be the head football coach at Peabody High.

Whether it was during his four years as a player under the legendary Arthur Adamopoulos, during nearly 20 years as an assistant under Ed Nizwantowski or as an assistant last season with Dick Woodbury, sitting in the big chair was something that Wlasuk simply never considered.

On the heels of naming Wlasuk their fourth football coach in the last five seasons, the folks at Peabody High are glad that he chose to throw his proverbial hat in the ring.

"I didn't apply right away. I really thought it over, and I realized how much I had learned from all those years playing under Art's system and coaching under Niz," said Wlasuk. "I felt like, from that experience, I know what needs to be done to get this program back on track."

The seven-member committee which included PHS principal Ed Sapienza and athletic director Phil Sheridan agreed, formally appointing Wlasuk to the post yesterday.

"It was a unanimous decision," said Sheridan. "To be honest, it was pretty exciting to watch (Wlasuk) when he found out he got the job. It was almost like watching a little kid at Christmas time."

The appointment was met with both approval and relief that the five-month search for Woodbury's replacement had finally come to a  close.

"We're happy that it is all over, and that they picked an all around great guy who really knows his stuff," said Tom Ciulla, a two-year starter for the Tanners heading into his senior season.

The task of rebuilding the Tanners program now falls to one of the most intense personalities the squad has known over the years. Wlasuk has seen both the good times | Super Bowl wins in 1990 and 1993 and 13 straight winning seasons from 1992-2004 | and the rough patches of last year's 1-9 effort.

While the veteran Peabody police officer isn't setting goals in terms of wins, he believes he, and more importantly his players, have what it takes to help the Tanners avoid a fourth straight losing season.

"One thing I can't do is make predictions (on a record). But the thing I do promise is that our players will be the best prepared they can possibly be every time they step on the field," said Wlasuk.

After meeting with the team at the high school yesterday morning, one of Wlasuk's first moves was to bring baseball coach Mark Bettencourt (also a finalist for the football job) on board as a key assistant. The pair hope to craft an offense that is aggressive and uses athletes to pressure the defense on the outside. Defensively, Wlasuk hopes his Tanners can pressure the quarterback and be faster and more disruptive than they were a year ago.

"We're going to build the systems around the athletes that we'll have," the 1979 PHS grad and Wesleyan University alum said. "A big part of this, though, is to get back to basics. It does come down to just blocking and tackling. Our kids will be fundamentally sound."

A lifelong Peabody resident, Wlasuk | who recalled seeing his first PHS football game as a 7-year-old fan at Leo Buckley Stadium | is proud to join the lineage of Peabody football coaches that have come before him. He's the type of guy that has been said to bleed Tanner blue, and while mindful of the program's traditions he knows that the rebuilding process won't be as easy as giving a few rah-rah speeches.

"As much of an honor as this is, I want people to know that I did this first and foremost for the kids," said Wlasuk, who was overcome by the number of congratulatory calls he got from Peabody alums yesterday.

It was the kids, and those experiences, that Wlasuk missed most during his two years away from the game after Nizwantowski was deposed prior to the 2005 season.

"That first year (2005) was the toughest, even going to the games with my sons was hard," Wlasuk admitted. "I've put my heart and soul into coaching over the years. When I had the chance to come back last year I knew that if I didn't I might never coach again, and I couldn't have that. Two years away was enough."

With talented young runners like Nick Hiou and Mark D'Addario back behind leaders like Ciulla, the foundation may be in place. Wlasuk noted that enthusiasm has remained high in spite of recent results due to the leadership of last year's captains: Scott Diefenbach, Luke Moran and Joe Maroney.

"I don't look at last year's record as an indicator of success because we had a lot of positives," said Wlasuk. "Those three kids especially had a lot of character that helped us lay the foundation for success. We really believe that character breed success."

With a coach finally in place and systems taking shape by day, the Tanners hope to begin working toward the new season as soon as possible.

"Coach Wlasuk already has a plan in place and we want to be going full steam ahead," said Ciulla. "As seniors, we want to be known as the class that turned the ship around."