Barring something unforeseen, Bridgeport’s next head football coach will be a familiar one. According to the personnel portion of the Harrison County Board of Education’s posted agenda for Tuesday’s (Feb. 20) meeting, John Cole has been recommended to fill the position on a full-time basis.

 

The recommendation came from Principal Mark DeFazio and Assistant Principal and Athletic Director Matt DeMotto. DeFazio said three individuals applied for the job and all three interviewed for the position by the pair.

 

Cole would not comment on the recommendation. He will comment if he is officially approved for the job at the Feb. 20 meeting, which is the final step in the process.

 

Cole served in 2017 as the interim head coach after the dismissal of Coach Josh Nicewarner in the summer. With the football season ready to start, the school opted to go the interim route to try and keep the season as normal as possible and Cole was named the interim coach.

 

Because of that, the job had to be re-posted this year and an official job search conducted. During his interim season, Cole took the Indians to an 11-2 record and back to the Class AA semifinals.

 

“Last year when we asked him about stepping in he didn’t hesitate because he knew the situation and first and foremost he knew keeping things going was important to the kids, which is always the big thing with Coach Cole,” said DeFazio. “He has long known what the program was about, which made naming him interim coach easy.

 

“Recommending him as head coach is a choice we feel comfortable with because he’s definitely paid his dues and he’s loyal to the program, the kids and the administration here … Loyalty is a very big thing to me,” DeFazio continued. “When you think of Coach Cole, you think of his long-time loyalty to this program and this school.”

 

Cole has now spent more than 20 years on the Indians’ sideline. All of it, with the exception of last year, was in the capacity as an assistant. He also has the benefit of knowing the program as a player.

 

In 1985, Cole graduated from Bridgeport High School. He also teachers at his alma mater. The 1984 team where Cole served as a senior lineman saw the Tribe finish 9-3. Shortly after that and after graduating from then FSC, he began coaching at the middle school (junior high) level under legendary Coach Tom Fogg and was the BHS freshman coach at the end of Wayne Jamison’s tenure. After that, he served as an assistant to Bruce Carey and Nicewarner. 

 

“He knows Bridgeport High School football and has been with the staff for years and he knows how to run things and knows the staff and the expectations everyone involved has,” said DeFazio. “I have a great deal of respect for Johnny and I think the community does as well. We’re confident he’ll do a great job.”

 

DeFazio cautioned that, at this point, the matter is still a recommendation. Superintendent Dr. Mark Manchin will present the recommendation to the elected members of the Harrison County Board of Education at Tuesday’s meeting. Approval of recommendations in nearly every situation, DeFazio said, is a formality. 

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows Coach John Cole, while BHS Principal Mark DeFazio is shown below. Picture of Cole is by www.benqueenphotography.com.