For new Niles North head coach Mike Garoppolo, growing up Garoppolo meant growing up with football.
Mike was the second of Tony and Denise Garoppolo’s four sons, and is an older brother of New England Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
Having three brothers fostered a competitive environment, Mike Garoppolo said, and almost everything revolved around the sport of football.
“We grew up playing since we were little kids,” Garoppolo said. “I didn’t start playing football until fifth grade — I played soccer before that — but we were always in the backyard competing. The tradition growing up was watching football every Saturday and Sunday with the family and just envisioning yourself as a football player, then growing up and doing it. I kept that passion and now I’m carrying it into coaching.”
After starring at Rolling Meadows, Mike Garoppolo went on to play linebacker at Western Illinois from 2007-11. He served the last three years at Rolling Meadows as an assistant to Mark Egofske, who resigned at the end of last season. Now, at 28, Garoppolo takes over a program fresh off its best season in over 20 years. The energetic Garoppolo, who still possesses a player-like physique, isn’t taking his opportunity for granted.
“I know young coaches don’t usually get this opportunity, so I’m embracing it every opportunity I can and running with it,” he said. “Trying to do everything I can, so I can’t look back and say I wish I would’ve done something. I’m spending more hours here than I am anywhere in this world right now. It’s a big-time commitment and I know that, but I’m excited about it. I love the sport. This is my life.”
Though the context is much different, Jimmy Garoppolo is also entering a unique opportunity in his career. The fallout from the much-publicized Deflategate was a four-game suspension for Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, which means the Arlington Heights native will make his first career start Week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals.
“Obviously it’s a lot of pressure now on him, but he’s ready for the challenge,” Mike Garoppolo said of his brother. “I’ve seen him prepare all offseason and this summer he was home for a little bit. It’s a cool thing seeing it, but, you know, he’s got the opportunity of a lifetime right now and if he makes the most — and God help us, hopefully everything works out, he does well and continues his career on a positive note.”
No matter the outcome, a proud older brother will be roaming Niles North’s sidelines this season, eager to make a good first impression while his brother attempts to do the same.
“I’ve seen (Jimmy) grow up and seen his work ethic and what it takes to get to the college level, and then obviously at the college level what it takes to get to the NFL level,” Mike Garoppolo said. “It’s been very impressive. I’m very proud of him, you know, we talk all the time and I just tell him it’s a dream come true what he’s doing.”
Gelsomino takes over at Ridgewood
When Ridgewood opens its football season at home against Solorio, for the first time in a decade, Chris Zack won’t be roaming the sideline as the Rebels’ head coach.
More Top Picks Best Glass Stovetop Tea Kettle
A new era begins under first-year head coach Don Gelsomino, who attended now-closed Holy Cross High School but grew up in Norridge.
He’s happy to be back.
“It’s been a good transition. I’m teaching there, too, and Ridgewood has been really great,” said Gelsomino, who teaches integrated physics. “As far as the players go, they’ve been really receptive and open to things I’m doing. And they work really hard.”
Gelsomino was defensive coordinator at St. Patrick last season. Ridgewood went 7-3 in 2015, won a Metro Suburban East title for the first time since 1992, and qualified for the state playoffs for the first time since 2002.
Gelsomino will add some wrinkles on both sides of the ball but also wants to maintain consistency for this year’s returning players.
“You want to keep doing the things that worked last year because obviously they worked for a reason,” Gelsomino said. “So you incorporate that while putting your own spin on it.”
Will Gelsomino feel some extra butterflies on the day of Ridgewood’s home opener?
“I stopped getting nervous for games awhile ago, but coaching is weird, because I still get nervous for practice,” Gelsomino said. “By game day, it’s in the bag for me and it’s on the players’ shoulders. But I think next week might be a little different. We’ll see.”
Cooper pursues football passion at North Shore
It’s Erik Cooper’s first year as North Shore Country Day’s head football coach, but he’s no stranger to football or to the school.
Cooper, previously the head coach at Choate Rosemary Hall in Connecticut, is in his third year as dean of students and world history teacher.
Cooper had the itch to get back into coaching, so last spring he inquired about assisting Kevin Darling. The head role became available a few weeks later when Darling took a new job.
“It was pretty much a no-brainer,” Cooper said. “I really missed coaching. When you take a little time away from it, it just seems like there’s a hole in your life.”
The transition to 8-man has been challenging, Cooper said. But senior Bernie Sander regularly finds Cooper in his office drawing up plays on his notepad.
“All he does is think about football,” Sander said.
Cooper’s assistant coaches are Jim Dueble, in his 27th year at North Shore, as well as Jason Giffen and Tim Barfield, each in their fourth year.
Schoenwetter gets his chance at Glenbrook South
After 15 years as an assistant coach at Glenbrook South, David Schoenwetter finally has an opportunity to instill his head coaching legacy.
Schoenwetter, Glenbrook South’s quarterbacks coach from 2001-15, replaced Mike Noll, who resigned in January.
From 1990-93, Schoenwetter played quarterback at Glenbrook South under Bob Schoenwetter, his father. He went on to have an excellent career at Knox College and was inducted into the school’s athletic hall of fame in 2009.
“(Bob Schoenwetter) realizes how hard I’ve worked for this,” David Schoenwetter said, “and that I’ve stayed at Glenbrook South to do this.”
Brett Christie, Gary Larsen, Heather Rule and Eli Hershkovich are freelance reporters for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press