Sports
Panas' New Football Head Coach Works Towards a Winning Culture
After a string of losing seasons, coach Dan Patronik is trying to change the culture of Panther Football.
The Panthers of Walter Panas High School, who scrimmaged the Red Devils of Peekskill on Sept. 1, are making their final preparations for the 2011 season. After a victorious scrimmage Thursday, first year head coach Dan Patronik stressed to his team that they are building “The New Panas.”
After years of losing seasons, Patronik is looking to change the culture and mentality of his team by stressing fundamental football basics mixed with positive thinking.
After winning the Sept. 1 scrimage, Patronik energized the team with an enthusiastic “woooo!” The team echoed it back.
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“You have to get them to believe in themselves,” Patronik said.
Panas is set to open their 2011 schedule with a road game against Tappan Zee High School on Friday Sept. 9. During his post game speech the coach told his team, “You should fear no one on our schedule.”
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Patronik is a native of the Washington D.C. area and attended High School at Archbishop Carrol High School. He earned his Bachelors degree at the University of Maryland, and received his Masters at Mercy College.
Before becoming the head coach for Walter Panas, Patronik coached at East Ramapo High School, and then the Panas Junior Varsity team for five years. This is his twelfth year coaching.
“Block better than them, tackle better, execute better and you win,” he said of his coaching philosophy.
The key players Patronik said to watch out for this year are senior starters Ryan Piazza, who plays at Linebacker, Tailback and Quarterback; wide out Maliq Walliston; and Jende Akinleye, who plays halfback/tailback.
Patronik who now lives in Nyack, is also an Earth Science and forensics teacher at Walter Panas High School. He has taught there for nine years.
“I love teaching at this school, and everything the school is about”.
He has spent his summer listening to good music, enjoying family and friends and taking his boat out on the Hudson.
The Walter Panas Panthers will open up their 2011 season at Tappan Zee High School in Orangeburg, N.Y. on Friday, Sept. 9 at 7 p.m.
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