Interview with new head football coach Jason Wilson
Wilson, a 2004 Tyrone graduate, has been with the program since 2001
Lucas Rhoades (right,) Tyrone Area School District athletic director, congratulates Jason Wilson (left,) 2004 Tyrone Area High School (TAHS) graduate, for receiving school board approval to fill the vacant TAHS Head Varsity Football Coach position. (The Daily Herald/Meredith Peachey)
The Tyrone Area School Board elected Jason Wilson as the new head coach of the Tyrone Golden Eagles football team last night at the board’s regular session meeting by a unanimous 9-0 vote.
Wilson, 28, is a 2004 Tyrone High School graduate. He played wide receiver and defensive back for the Golden Eagles from 2001-03. He has been with the Tyrone coaching staff since 2004.
Wilson began his coaching career at Tyrone as a volunteer assistant under former head coach John Franco. When Franco departed for Altoona, Wilson stayed with the program under Steve Guthoff. Wilson has been the Eagles’ defensive coordinator for the past five seasons.
Wilson is currently employed by Penn State University as a systems design specialist. He and his wife Heather live in Tyrone and have twin three year old sons.
The head coaching position was board approved with a salary of $5,950 with no benefits.
The Eagle Eye interviewed Wilson immediately following his election at last night’s board meeting:
Eagle Eye: Why did you want to be the coach of the Tyrone football program?
Coach Jason Wilson: “I played here [at Tyrone]. I live here. I don’t want to see the program fail. I also want to impact the players the same way the previous coaches have impacted the players. Carry on the success, carry on the tradition and the history that’s here.”
EE: Why did you get into coaching?
JW: “After you leave, all the players get the same feeling. They miss being in sports, being in something. So I took the opportunity when Coach Franco welcomed me on the staff as a volunteer. That’s where I started. Once I was in there, I just loved it so much, I wanted to stay.”
EE: Have you coached anywhere other than Tyrone?
JW: “No, only at Tyrone.”
EE: Do you know who you are going to have on your coaching staff?
JW: “Yes”
EE: Would you care to elaborate on that?
JW: “No”
EE: What are you most excited for in the upcoming season?
JW: “I’m just excited to work with the players, I think we could have a great season. I think we return a lot of good players. We lose a lot of key players. I relate back to my senior year and the year after. My senior year we only had 4 or 5 seniors and this group is basically the same, they only have 4 0r 5 seniors. They are all key parts so we have to replace them, but I think we can have a great season.”
EE: What are some of your expectations for the upcoming season?
JW: “I want to see us back in the district six championship game and I want to bring home the gold. I’m going to keep the Friday night atmosphere, just like we had whenever I played here.”
EE: What does it mean for you to take over the Tyrone program?
JW: “It means a lot. I have a lot of respect for both Coach Franco and Coach Guthoff. They taught me so much, coaching wise, career wise, life wise. Just being able to carry that on and be part of that history, it means a lot.”
EE: What is your coaching philosophy?
JW: “My coaching philosophy is to impact the players, and to make sure that they can carry something on for the rest of their lives. [I want them to] look back on this and take something away from it. That might just be something simple like discipline, teamwork, picking yourself up after you’re down. Just something to carry on, that they can place in their everyday world, and their careers.”
EE: Anything else you would like to add?
JW: “I’m really glad I got the position and I look forward to another great season.”
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