EASTON'S STEVE SHIFFERT COACH OF THE YEAR

Easton Area High School's Steve Shiffert is The Express-Times Football Coach of the Year
By Express-Times staff
December 11, 2009, 12:30AM

View full sizeExpress-Times Photo | BILL ADAMSSteve Shiffert, highly respected by his peers, had one of his most satisfying seasons this year.To outsiders, he seems distant.

To insiders and those who closely follow the Easton Area High School football program, the emotion Steve Shiffert showed after beating Parkland for the District 11 championship a couple of Saturdays ago, is typical of the veteran coach.

The Red Rovers had just won their third game in eight days, including a victory over arch-rival Phillipsburg in the Thanksgiving Day battle that means so much to the two towns on the river.

Shiffert’s feelings for his players bubbled over that night.

“You’re the reason us old farts keep coaching,” Shiffert said through tears. “There is nothing better than seeing the smiles on your faces right now.”

Shiffert, in 17 seasons at Easton, is the program’s winningest coach with a 144-66-1 record and today is named The Express-Times Football Coach of the Year, the third time he has won the award.

“I’ve always been like that,” Shiffert said, reflecting back on the emotion of the night his team beat Parkland. “Anytime you put as much time and effort into something, you’re bound to get emotional. Moments like those are special.”

Shiffert gets criticism from diehard Red Rover fans, some who say his offense is too vanilla, or his play-calling is suspect. He knows that comes with the territory.

“The community supports the team and they want the team to win,” he said. “Sometimes I’ll hear something someone says and it’s important to realize it’s just because they care.”

Leave it to fellow Lehigh Valley Conference coach Joe Bottiglieri, the head man at Emmaus and someone who played with Shiffert at Bloomsburg University, to put Shiffert’s coaching ability into perspective.

“I know people criticize Steve for his lack of throwing the ball or play-calling or whatever,” Bottiglieri said. “I’ll say this: He gets his kids in the right position to be successful.

“Obviously, he has good players and they have numbers at Easton. But coaching has a lot to do with that, too. It’s not true that anyone can walk into a place with a lot of talent and just win. Bottom line is Steve’s done an outstanding job.”

Shiffert will be back for an 18th season in 2010. After that, he’s not sure.

“I’m surely on the downside,” he said of his career. “But a season like this, it pumps you up. That’s for sure."