Tony Napolet, Head Coach at Warren John F. Kennedy H.S. achieved his 200th High School Head Coaching win on Saturday, November 3, 2007 in game one of Division VI, Region 21 playoff against McDonald High School with a 46-8 victory. Coach Napolet's record stands at 200-87-3 at the end of the 2007 season.
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(Quotes from the Tribune Chronicle, Nov 4, 2007,
sports@tribune-chronicle.com)
In two stints at Kennedy and one at Niles, Napolet?s record now stands at 200-86-3. (Note that coach Napolet was not a head coach after the Niles stint for about 11 years and returned to JFK for his second stint as head coach).The thing that keeps him going is that there?s no place he?d rather be on a weekend night than on the sidelines.
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??No place in the world,?? he said.
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He has led the Eagles to 14 postseason appearances including five straight. His teams have reached the state championship game four times and won it in 1991. He said he can?t point to one win that meant more than another.
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??It would be hard for me to pick one game,?? he said. ??They?ve all been wonderful. If you love something like I love football, and you teach the kids to play hard and play fair, they all mean something. There?s not one that means more than another.??
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As each season winds down, there are always rumors that it will be Napolet?s final. They were never more prevalent than before his team lost in last year?s Division V state title game.
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But as July rolled around there he was again, behind the high school, overseeing conditioning. The rumors were there again this year, specially after Napolet missed a regular-season game because of some health issues.
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Rest assured, they?re only rumors.
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??As long as God can let me live my life and He keeps me healthy, and as long as the kids respond to me, I?ll be back,?? he said.
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Personal observation:
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This man is 70 years old and his health has not been the best. God only knows how many years he has left on the sideline, but I can tell you he's one of the best!
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