December 9, 2008John Nash: Classy Like A Foxfrom The Stamford Times WILTON -- Bryan Fox rode off into his future on the shoulders of his players, the perfect Hollywood ending for one of the most un-Hollywood type of people you could ever meet. Fox, the head football coach at Trinity Catholic High School, coached his final game -- at least for a while -- on Thanksgiving morning, leading his Crusaders to the 24th victory over his five year career. He spoke briefly to his team in its post-game huddle, thanking them for their effort and once again relating how proud he was of all them, before handing things over to one of his assistants. Then, he stepped back and stood silently, his eyes showing how hard it was to hold back the emotion that came with the end of his five-year run. Fox had actually said his good-byes the night before, announcing to his players that Thursday's game would be his last. His little girl, Katelyn, just over a year old, was growing up, and his wife, Cathy, was expecting again. There were new demands in his other job, his real-life job, and when Fox looked at the big picture, he knew it was time. So when it was all said done, with the scoreboard behind them still reading "Trinity 21, Wilton 14," the Crusaders got together and hoisted their former head coach onto their shoulders, carrying him off the field. "I felt a little goofy, to be honest," Fox said, "but it was a special day for me. The kids played great." Fox will not go down in history as a coaching legend, not with a 24-27 lifetime record. But this five-year span in Trinity football history is about something a little more deeper than trophies and championships and legends. This was about putting the pride back in the green and the gold. In the five years before Fox, a 1994 Catholic graduate, returned to the program, Trinity had posted only 15 wins -- but eight of those had come during one 8-3 season which was surrounded by one-win and two-win campaigns. Turning the program around wouldn't be easy and even Fox went 2-8 in his first year. Since then, however, the Crusaders -- sparked by a staff that had a lot of Catholic ties to it -- have played .500 or better ball in three of the last four seasons, including a 7-3 team in 2006 and a 7-4 mark this season. But much in the way a football player isn't just about his stats, Fox's tenure at Trinity can't be just about his wins and his losses. Fox has never wanted the Trinity team to be about just him. That was also why had kept his decision a secret for so long, having made up his mind before the August two-a-days even kicked in that 2008 would be his final season. "I didn't want the word to get out that it was my last game because I didn't want the story to be about it being my last game," Fox said. "I wanted the seniors to get their time in the sun, because they deserve all the credit in the world." The seniors, however, were ready to deflect a lot of that credit right back onto Fox. "We wanted to win for him," said TC's star fullback Nick Cortese. "He works so hard for the past however many seasons he's been the coach. He deserves this more than anything. He had some ups and downs, but it's great to end on a winning season for him. He's a great coach and it's been an honor to play for him." In the aftermath of his final game, Fox was asked what this year's team meant to him personally. "The world," he answered, his voice choking with emotion once again. "They mean the world to me." And once again the world of Trinity Catholic football means something to everybody in Crusader Nation. A big reason for that is because of Bryan Fox, who deserved to be carried off the field and into the Trinity Catholic history books. Copyright © 2008, The Hour Publishing Co.
 Big senior defensive tackle Vladimir Joseph swims by an offensive lineman in a 28-20 home victory over Fairfield Ludlowe on October 29, 2005. (CrusaderNation.net / Dana Maul)
 Junior defensive tackle Santiago "Teggy" Steele wraps up a Darien
rusher as his
 Junior center Cory Johnson prepares to snap the ball to fellow classmate
 The Crusader offensive line pushes Bassick around in the mud. The
Crusaders
 Senior wideout Rob Hawthorn races downfield to block as junior fullback
Eric Stephens
 2005 All-FCIAC East Offense Row 1, Left to Right: Eric Wells, Bassick; Willie Epps, McMahon;
Pete Raymond,
 2005 All-FCIAC East Defense Row 1, Left to Right: Joe Luchesi, Danbury; Greg Sabo, Danbury; James
Taylor, Danbury;
|
|
|
|
|
Trinity
Catholic High School Football |
Site design by spinn
creations |
