Red Bank Coach Chad Grabowski - Ready To Roar

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The history. The wins. The great players and the myriad of trophies signifying football success for 74 fall evenings.

 

Newly hired head football coach Chad Grabowski is ready to lead the charge into the 75th season of Red Bank football and to help “Restore the Roar†in this tradition-rich high school football community.

 

From the program’s first coach in George Edwards in 1940 to 55 wins under Bill Edwards (1954-62) and the first bowl victory (1959) to hall of famer Tom Weathers and the 15-0 state champs in 2000, coach Grabowski wants to build on the grand Blue and White gridiron tradition.

 

“I want to bring back winning football to the Red Bank program with a goal of getting to the playoffs sooner rather than later and eventually play for another state championship,†said coach Grabowski at Tuesday night’s Red Bank Football Booster Club meeting.

 

First Game: The Chad Grabowski Era opens on the road on Aug. 22 at Boyd-Buchanan …

 

Home Schedule: Two of Red Bank’s oldest rivals – Soddy Daisy (Aug. 29) and Rhea County (Sept. 26) – will play the Lions at Red Bank Community Stadium along with East Ridge, Hixson and Tyner.

 

“I am humbled to be here and am excited to be part of a community that has high expectations for its football program.â€

 

The 37-year-old Grabowski was 33-20 in five years at Mount Dora (Fla.) High School with two trips to the playoffs, but was looking for a new challenge when Red Bank came calling.

 

“I had taken Mount Dora about as far as I could and am excited to be here at Red Bank with such great community interest and support.â€

 

The program's 10th coach, Coach Grabowski is focused on helping prepare his student-athletes for Friday Night Lites.

 

But he also will work to make sure those same teenagers can not only successfully block and tackle, but also hit the books in preparation for attending college.

 

“My wife and I have a son in middle school and a daughter in the first grade and we feel it is important not only to be the football coach, but be part of the community in other ways.â€

 

“Restore The Roar†– Red Bank Math department chair Deb Weiss borrowed a page from Penn State football for this year’s theme … she was a graduate student in Happy Valley in late 1970s and attended many Nittany Lions home games …

 

“ “Restore The Roar†is not only about football or any other sport, but wanting to increase morale among the faculty, staff and students in all aspects of campus life here at Red Bank High School,†said Mrs. Weiss.

 

Red Bank Football – 74 Years – 9 Coaches

Coach - W-L Record … Years

George Edwards – 3-6-1 … 1940

George McCoy – 21-16-1 … 1941-43, 1946

Marion Perkins – 35-42-5 … 1944-45, 1947-53

Bill Edwards – 55-37 … 1954-62

Ray Bussard – 19-23-2 … 1963-66

Frank Cofer – 39-18-5 … 1967-72

Tom Weathers – 230-89-0 … 1973-2001

Tim Daniels – 77-40-0 … 2002-2011

E.K. Slaughter – 7-13-0 … 2012-13

 

74 Seasons – 486-285-18 …. 789 games

 

Best Season: 2000 – 15-0, state champions

 

10+ Win Seasons (11):  1978 (11-2), 1984 (10-2), 1988 (10-1), 1990 (10-1), 1994 (10-2), 1997 (10-2), 2000 (15-0), 2005 (10-2), 2006 (12-1), 2007 (12-1), 2009 (12-1)

 

Chad Grabowski Era

First Game - Aug. 22, 2014 …. Red Bank at Boyd-Buchanan ….

 

Chad Grabowski File

Age: 37

High School: Tavares HS (Fla.)

College: Valdosta (Ga.) State

Prior to Red Bank: Mount Dora HS (Fla). 5 years; 33-20 and two playoff appearances

Family: Wife – Amber, whom he met at Valdosta State

Children (4): Cierra (17), Bryson (10), Peyton (5), Kaeden (3)

 

Little Known Facts: his dad’s third cousin is Jim Grabowski, former U. of Illinois All-American running back in the 1960s who also played for the Green Bay Packers on two Super Bowl championship teams

 

Coach Grabowski has also been chased by an Alaskan Moose while salmon fishing in the Great Northwest.

 

contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net

Edited February 19, 2014 by bbb