The Churchville-Chili Saints have a new head varsity football coach – just the third in the program’s history – but it is far from an unfamiliar face.
Former Assistant Coach Dennis Pynn takes over for Troy Jeffers, who was at the helm for seven years. Pynn was a longtime assistant under the founder of Saints football, Paul Dick, who was the head coach for the first 22 years.
The Saints are coming off a winless 0-8 season and have won a combined two games over the last three seasons.
“We need to build a culture, start fresh but not reinventing everything from last year because that would be too much all at once,” Pynn said. “We have two other new coaches at the varsity level and we’re installing new things and a new mindset.”
It started in the offseason, reverting back to getting the players as a group back in the weight room.
“We had 35 to 50 guys every session, three times a week,” Pynn said. “We need to get as strong as we can.”
It will help that Pynn, though away from the football sidelines for many years, is familiar with many of the players and they with him as he has served as the Indoor and Outdoor head coach of track & field for many years.
“I am still going to do that this year, and my wife is not very happy about it, but we will try to identify someone who can start the process of taking over those programs, but I hate to give them up with the success that they have had.”
Churchville-Chili will return 18 to 19 players this season, led by three senior returners on the offensive and defensive lines in Michael Unger, Carter Wolf and Justin Meister.
Senior Camron Taylor and junior Ricardo Legares will be the primary running backs and linebackers with senior wide receiver Brock Osborne the number one outside target and also seeing time at defensive back.
The quarterback position at this writing was still a battle between senior Tyler Meisenzahl and junior Chase Shepanski.
The coaching staff plans to use the pistol formation on offense and stay with a 4-3 zone defense.
“We didn’t want to blow things up and have everyone confused to start the year, but instead transition them into it,” Pynn said.
And Paul Dick will be back to help the program at all levels from modified to varsity.
“As a first-year head coach, I don’t know what I don’t know, so it will be good to have him to bounce thoughts off and for him to evaluate everything.”
The Saints football history is dotted with a few 8-1 campaigns and solid players such as Kevin and Averin Collier, who are still among the top-25 all-time in Section V in rushing yards in a season and went on to play Division I at the University of Pittsburgh and Syracuse, respectively.
And former kicker Matt Szczupakowski remains among the top-seven in Section V history in field goals in a season.
The new start begins with the season opener against crosstown rival Gates-Chili on Friday, September 2, at home.
“I want to compete; I want to change the mindset,” Pynn said. “One game, one practice, one play.
“I am a football coach, but I am also a teacher. In ten years, if these men come back as husbands, fathers, and hold a productive job, then I have done my job.
“Good people first; the wins will come along with the good people we are producing in our program.”
