The Pittston Area School Board didn’t waste much time finding a new high school football coach, appointing Nick Barbieri as on Tuesday night just three weeks after opening the position held by Jim Norris the past three years.
Barbieri is the son of Bob Barbieri, who was Pittston Area’s first head coach in 1966 and held the job until being replaced after the 1988 season. He applied for the position in 2013 and also in 2011 when the board went with Mid Valley assistant Mike Barrett.
“It was a program I grew up in where my father was a coach for years,” said Barbieri, who was a defensive back for his dad from 1984-86. “It’s a program that I love. Whether it was applying once or twice to get where I wanted to be, that’s what I needed to do. The program is too important to me not to give it another shot.”
Pittston Area finished 2-8 this season and was 5-25 in Norris’ three years. Barbieri wasn’t at the meeting and didn’t know what the school board vote was.
Barbieri inherits a program which hasn’t posted a winning season since going 6-5 in 2008. That was the last season the Patriots made the postseason.
“I was at the games and I think there’s a good group of kids coming back,” said Barbieri, who also played at Lycoming and was an assistant at Delaware Valley for 19 years. “The talent level will be competitive, so that’s one of the reasons I thought it was a good opportunity.”
Since a successful but controversial six-year run by Steve Armillay, Pittston Area hasn’t exercised patience with the coaching position. The last four coaches were given just three years each to turn around the program.
Lon Hazlet moved across the state to take over 2005. He was replaced by veteran Tony “Dip” Donato in 2008 and has gone on to put Northwest in the district playoffs in his two seasons there. Donato was let go after a 0-10 record in 2010 and Pittston Area turned to Barrett, who had no head coaching experience.
Barrett coached the Patriots to three 3-7 finishes before former Pittston Area player Jim Norris was hired.
“I don’t really think about that,” Barbieri said. “Most of those situations, I wasn’t around for and wasn’t aware of. To me, it didn’t concern me.”
Barbieri left his teaching position at Delaware Valley to join the Pittston Area faculty four years ago. He believes seeing the players on a daily basis will help with the development of the programs. The last three Patriot coaches didn’t teach in the district.
“I think it’s a plus, a benefit, because I’m there and kids can find me with any questions or concerns,” Barbieri said. “And it also helps with recruiting of kids for the team. I’m in the building, I see the kids in the halls. It will only help.”
