Coaches big key to Cary-Grove's success

In the many years I've spent covering high school sports around the Fox Valley, one thing I've learned is that as athletes graduate and reflect on their high school careers, their coaches are what they have the most vivid memories of.

Over the years, though, longevity in coaching has become virtually non-existent. Plain and simple, coaches just don't stay in the profession as long as they once did.

That's not the case with the Cary-Grove football program.

The Trojans have been blessed with the most consistent group of coaches of any program in the Fox Valley, and their success on the field year in and year out proves how important it is to have quality coaches that can be depended on.

From head coach Bruce Kay to defensive coordinator Don Sutherland to sophomore coach Brad Seaburg and throughout the ranks, Cary-Grove's football staff is truly one that is on the same page 24/7.

"Having coaches who are on the same page and coaches that are dedicated like ours is essential to having a good program," says Cary-Grove senior linebacker Paul Rands. "The coaches put in an awful lot of time and without the way the coaches have set up the program, we wouldn't be the team we are."

Team is the key word there. From the athletes on the field to every coach throughout the program, it's a team effort at Cary-Grove, one that will continue Saturday night when the Trojans host DeLaSalle in the second round of the Class 7A playoffs.

"In football, with so many kids and so many positions and all the off-season work, to be successful you need a large staff of guys who are completely dedicated, passionate, know about the game and are willing to put in endless hours to achieve the goals we want to achieve," said Kay, now in his 19th season running the program and truly one of my favorite guys to work with, dating back to when he took the C-G girls basketball team to state in 1987.

The success the Trojans have had over the years is proof in the pudding. OK, so they aren't a Mt. Carmel or a Joliet Catholic (private schools, by the way), but the Trojans have delivered year after year in Kay's 19 seasons, including a trip to the Class 7A state championship game in 2004 and a memorable semifinal game at Rock Island in 1997. Overall, C-G is 135-62 in Kay's tenure and is in the playoffs for the 10th time under him.

But as Kay, who is also C-G's athletic director, will quickly tell you, the success of the Cary-Grove program goes far beyond his coaching talents, although I'll be the first to tell you this guy is simply one of the best.

"Bruce is just super organized, yet he lets us have input and he expects input from us," said Sutherland, also the school's head baseball coach who is now in his 26th year with the program, making him C-G's elder statesman in the football program. "He listens to you and he gives you responsibility."

As defensive coordinator, Sutherland has a major load of responsibility in the program. With off-season work so demanding in football, he appreciates the people around him as much as Kay. Guys like Seaburg, John Bryan, Ryan Passaglia, Mike Walston, Troy Bruley, Mike Manning, Phil Raffaelli, Jim Miller, Paul Reinke, Mike Lowrey, Bob Cahall, Ryan Slattery, Dave Nelsen, Issac Serrano … the list goes on and on to what Kay says is a total of 17 coaches, 10 paid and 7 volunteers.

"When I'm coaching baseball in the spring, these other guys go to a lot of clinics and pick me up by sitting in on the defensive things. That flexibility makes it workable. Mike Walston and Matt Furlong do a great deal of work to help me personally.

"It's a team effort. Everyone helps out, everyone has a part and everyone's part is important."

Sutherland's part helps Kay focus on his expertise -- the offense.

"I really only have to memorize the offense," Kay said. "When you have someone like Don Sutherland who is very intelligent and experienced, it means a lot. He played high school and college ball. Everybody on our staff played high school or college ball."

Passaglia, the Trojans' split ends coach, is a 1994 Cary-Grove graduate who went on to play college ball at North Central before coming back to join the coaching staff full-time. He is also a math and computer science teacher at the school.

"Anytime players see a staff that is together and working hard for them it rubs off," Passaglia said. "We try to set the example. We work seven days a week and we enjoy each other's company. We hang out as friends away from football and we love doing what we're doing."

Passaglia also sees the value of Cary-Grove having so many of its coaches -- the large majority -- in the building as teachers or employees.

"We're all there and that helps a lot," he said. "During the day if you have ideas, you can stop in someone's office and bounce it off them. For myself, it's a great situation and a lot of fun. It's been a good ride."

John Bryan, who coaches the offensive line, is in his 10th year on the staff. He works in Kay's office part-time during the day prior to heading to the football field. Working in the athletic office during the day allows Bryan to see how close the coaching staff is as well.

"I think it's critical and it's one of the big reasons we're where we're at right now," he said. "The kids are familiar with everything we do, all the conditioning and the plays we run. It helps the kids recall each year. The continuity of the coaching staff is huge."

Sutherland believes Cary-Grove's close-knit community also lends to the success.

"We have a good community where the parents support the program," he said. "It's a good comfortable situation."

It's a comfort zone that the Trojans' players see every day.

"It definitely rubs off on the team when you have coaches who are all working together and all get along together," Rands said.

In the end, Kay says, there's one factor above all that makes things so positive around Cary-Grove football.

"Winning helps keep people around," he said.

Yes it does. And at Cary-Grove there's been an awful lot of winning over the years behind a coaching staff that does things the right way.