Addison Trail picks familiar name

Addison Trail couldn't have chosen a more in-house candidate to take over its football program.

Paul Parpet Jr., whose hall of fame father is retiring after 29 years at the helm, will be the Blazers' next head coach.

Addison Trail athletic director Matt Thompson on Thursday confirmed the hiring of Parpet, a special-education teacher at the high school and a veteran assistant in the football program.

"Paulie's been with us as an assistant for 15 years, and for the past seven or eight he's been our defensive coordinator," Thompson said. "So his body of work during that time speaks for itself."

Parpet Sr. is retiring after leading the Blazers to four West Suburban Gold titles, 11 playoff berths and two state title game appearances. The most recent state appearance came in 1997 with his son at his side.

Addison Trail's successful teams in recent years were built around the stout defenses headed by Parpet Jr. When the Blazers went unbeaten in the Gold in 2006, they allowed only 8 points per game in conference, including a critical 6-0 win over perennial power Downers Grove South.

A graduate of Glenbard West High School and Elmhurst College, Parpet inherits a program that went 3-6 in the fall with a core of eight sophomores who went 9-0 at the freshman level the season before.

Needless to say, the transition is expected to be seamless.

"(Parpet) knows the community, knows the kids, understands what we're about," Thompson said. "I think we're going in the right direction with this."