Fyfe

By Michael Boytim

mboytim@altoonamirror.com

Central Cambria hired its latest head football coach at its board meeting Monday night, and it’s a name familiar to many in the area.

Former Shade head coach and Chestnut Ridge quarterback Don Fyfe was approved, 9-0, to replace Shane McGregor, who resigned following a 4-6 season.

“I’m really excited. It’s a big step up,” Fyfe said. “The program I am used to being at, we had the best of what we could have, but we were a small school. To get this opportunity that the people at Central Cambria are giving me, I am really excited. To coach in one of the best conferences in the state, it’s an awesome opportunity that I’m truly appreciative of.”

Fyfe led Shade to some of its best football seasons, including a District 5 Class 1A title in 2018, but after a 1-7 finish in 2020, the Shade football program was suspended and entered into a co-op. Fyfe spent last season as the offensive coordinator at Bishop McCort under head coach Tom Smith.

“We’re very excited to have Don,” Central Cambria athletic director Randy Wilson said. “He’s got 25 years of coaching experience, and as recently as 2018, he led a team to a district championship at Shade. He brings a ton of experience, but what I’m super excited about is the passion he has for coaching even though he’s done it for so long. We’re really fortunate that he applied for the job and that he’s our head coach. He’s passionate about what he does, and whether that’s coaching football or if he was coaching bocce ball, he’s passionate about working with young adults and getting them to be the best they can be not only on the field but off of it.”

Fyfe said seeing the program fizzle out at Shade was tough for him.

“I was not done coaching, and it was sad. That was part of my family, that program,” Fyfe said. “I was there coaching for the last nine or 10 years, and we had success as a team. I had a son that played there. My daughter was in the band. It was a big part of our family, so to have it end was heartbreaking. It was like losing a family member.”

Numbers shouldn’t be a problem at Central Cambria, where McGregor helped increase participation in football across all levels.

“I’m hoping to install an offense that can be sustained over the years,” Fyfe said. “You might only have to tweak it a little bit. I’m used to coaching at Shade where every year can be a different look depending on what athletes you have coming out that year. I’m hoping at a bigger school like Central Cambria, it will be a little easier to run one offensive and defensive system and keep it rolling and get better every year.”

Wilson made it clear he was proud of the condition McGregor left the program.

“He would have been back if he wanted to be,” Wilson said. “He did a great job, and he’s a great human being. It’s sad to see him go, but we’re ecstatic to have Don on our staff. I think it’s going to be a blend of some of his coaches and some of the coaches we had previously on staff. We’re very excited that our student athletes will have Don Fyfe manning the helm of our football team.”

Fyfe said getting his feet wet in the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference with McCort last season was an important first step.

“It was something that opened my eyes,” Fyfe said. “It’s such a strong conference from top to bottom. I don’t think I would understand it if I was going in without coaching a game in the Laurel Highlands. Look at what the teams in this conference did in the state playoffs. It’s an amazing conference from top to bottom.”

Fyfe is hoping Central Cambria can share in the conference’s success.

“We’d like to build a program that is successful every year,” Fyfe said. “We want something that’s sustainable for eight to 10 years. I want to build a program that every year, we’re going to have a chance to win games, be successful and be in the top half of the conference.”