Fallsnewspress.com - Lazzari resigns as Falls football coach

by Michael Leonard

Sports Editor

After two years at the helm of the Cuyahoga Falls football program, Greg Lazzari will coach a different pack of Tigers next fall.

"I've really enjoyed my time at Cuyahoga Falls," said Lazzari, who resigned his position as head coach of the Black Tiger head football coach April 15.

According to Lazzari, he was offerd the head coaching position at Newton Falls High School April 14. Lazzari said he will finish his teaching contract with Cuyahoga Falls and then teach special education at NFHS next school year.

David Wilson, superintendent of Newton Falls City School District, said Lazzari will earn $45,835 as a special education teacher and $5,997 as head football coach during the 2008-09 school year.

Wilson said Lazzari's hiring came after a two-month search.

"We were looking for someone with head coaching experience and someone with connections to [Trumbull] county," Wilson said. "We had a good record coaching in our league before. We also needed a special education teacher and he was recommended from his time at Champion."

According to Kathryn Sines, Cuyahoga Falls City Schools treasurer, Lazzari's 2007-08 school year contract pays him $49,921 as a vocational education teacher at the high school and $7,576 as head football coach.

A resident of Cortland, Lazzari said his reasons for leaving Cuyahoga Falls were family-related.

"As much as I love the Falls, I have three boys at home and they need me to be closer to them," Lazzari said.

"The intention was to move to Cuyahoga Falls, but with the economic situation being what it is, it just didn't work out," Lazzari said. "I've been making a 112-mile round trip to school every day."

Cuyahoga Falls athletic director Jeff Harrison said he understood Lazzari's decision.

"Greg was a great candidate when he was hired," Harrison said. "Greg did a nice job at Cuyahoga Falls.

"We wish Greg the best; there's certainly no hard feelings," Harrison said. "I believe it was not a decision that was easy for him to make. As much as we talk about being a family in this athletic department and with individual teams, that family at home always comes first."

Harrison said the position was posted April 15 within the district and he will accept applications from district employees until April 25.

"At this point at time, we are solely looking internally," Harrison said. "At the end of that period, we'll make the decision if we should go with an internal person or go with someone from the outside."

Lazzari came to Falls in May 2006 from Niles McKinley after longtime coach Don Ross resigned. He inherited a program in the midst of a 31-game losing streak.

Lazarri went 2-18 during his two years at Falls, but Falls ended the drought with a win against Garfield Heights last season.

"It was in dire straits when I first got here," Lazzari said. "We've done some good things here; I think it's reflected in the number of kids who are now participating. We beat Stow for the first time in six seasons at [Stow]. We got a police escort back to the school and everyone was waiting for us. That was a special moment. That's how I want to remember Cuyahoga Falls."

E-mail: mleonard@recordpub.com

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