Double Duties At CLCS

: BRYAN BONGIOVANNI

BRYAN BONGIOVANNI

By Braden Carmen

sports@post-journal.com

MAYVILLE — Chautauqua Lake has found its next football coach, and he’s already a part of the Thunderbirds family.

Bryan Bongiovanni, the varsity baseball head coach at Chautauqua Lake, will now add head varsity football coach to his duties.

He replaces Curt Fischer, a Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame inductee who posted a 4-4 record in 2018, his lone season at the helm after 25 years and two state championships at Maple Grove.

Bongiovanni’s appointment was made official at a board of education meeting at Chautauqua Lake last Wednesday.

“I’d like to thank Benjamin Spitzer (CLCS Superintendent) and Josh Liddell (CLCS Principal and Athletic Director) for the opportunity to be the head football coach at Chautauqua Lake. It is also exciting to have both Westfield and Brocton join our program,” said Bongiovanni. “Being a teacher and coach at Chautauqua Lake, I already know, or have coached, most of the players. In just my first few weeks working with the athletes from Westfield and Brocton, I can already tell the great character and athletic ability they possess.

“I’m beyond excited to see where our blend of character and talent will lead us.”

Bongiovanni is no stranger to coaching Chautauqua Lake’s top athletes as he is already employed as the Thunderbirds’ varsity baseball coach. Bongiovanni and Liddell both hope that will facilitate an easy transition for the football program.

See CLCS, Page C3

From Page C1

“Bryan has done an outstanding job with other coaching positions at Chautauqua Lake and his athletes have always believed in him and his coaching abilities,” Liddell said. “He has shown to have a great rapport with his athletes and their parents. He also has great organizational and leadership skills, which bode well for a team that encompasses four different communities.”

A Fredonia native and graduate of Fredonia High School, Bongiovanni played football for the Hillbillies until his junior year, at which point he decided to focus on baseball. Bongiovanni was a running back and a defensive back at Fredonia. He even played for Greg Sherlock, the Fredonia Hillbillies varsity football coach, in midget league football in Fredonia.

“He was a very hard worker,” said Sherlock. “He was a real tough kid, really coachable and always picked up on things.”

Bongiovanni will be in charge of the football program at Chautauqua Lake, which also includes students from Westfield Academy and Brocton High School. Brocton joins the Thunderbirds after being combined with Fredonia last season.

“We have put together a great assistant coaching staff to help support Coach Bongiovanni and our combined football team,” Liddell said. “The coaching staff has been working hard throughout the summer to prepare for the upcoming season.”

A year ago, Chautauqua Lake/Westfield was the epitome of an up-and-down team. Not only was its record even at 4-4, but there was also not a single streak in either fashion. The Thunderbirds won in Week 1, then again in Week 3, Week 5 and Week 7, with losses immediately after each win. Bongiovanni hopes to provide more continuity this season and hopefully build a win streak in the Thunderbirds’ favor. Bongiovanni also hopes his relationships with his baseball players will carry over to success on the football field.

“One of my strengths is that I’m effective at building relationships not only with my athletes, but their families as well, and getting everyone pulling in the same direction for one common goal,” said Bongiovanni. “When three programs merge into one, this ability becomes paramount. Each community wants to feel like an equal and valued member. That can be challenging, but the way I see it, we aren’t three separate programs, we are one. On the field, you have to play for and be accountable for the men that you battle with all week in practice, regardless of where they go to school. In order for that to happen, everyone needs to feel respected and appreciated and buy into what we are trying to accomplish. That’s where I come in, that’s my job.”

Bongiovanni is not worried about his time away from the game. He believes his coaching experience in baseball will carry over to the gridiron.

“Obviously the X’s and O’s of baseball and football are different, but how a successful program is run remains the same,” said Bongiovanni. “Through my experiences coaching baseball, I’ve learned the importance of building relationships with and motivating each individual player, running efficient practices and remaining focused on our long term goals regardless of week to week outcomes. These are coaching qualities that are essential and transferable regardless of the sport.”

Despite the graduation of 2018 starting quarterback Kyler Majka and wide receiver Zach Fischer, the Thunderbirds will bring back an experienced group in 2019. One of the key returners is running back Ryan Jafarjian, of Westfield.

“Ryan Jafarjian is one heck of an athlete,” said Sherlock, who coached Jafarjian when Fredonia was merged with Westfield and Brocton as the FWB Badgers. “He could play just about anywhere in Western New York.”

Other expected returners include Chautauqua Lake’s Brendon Rowe and Nate Engdahl, along with Westfield’s Andrew Baribeau and Hayden Backus. Zach Martin of Chautauqua Lake is expected to return as the favorite to start at quarterback.

Bongiovanni will have a chance to coach against his former school, as the Thunderbirds will play Fredonia on Oct. 4 as Class C South division foes.

“I’m proud of him. It’ll be a lot of fun,” said Sherlock of Bongiovanni and the chance to coach against him. “If he’s as successful as a football coach as he’s been with baseball, he’ll have a lot of success … and I think he will be. I hope they just have one bad game, when they play us.”