Catholic Memorial was hoping to make a splash with its next football coach.
It did a lot more than that.
The school officially announced the hiring of former Everett High coaching legend John DiBiaso as its new head football coach, replacing Brent Williams, who served as an interim coach last season.
DiBiaso, who recently retired from Everett, amassed an incredible 252-33-0 record and 11 Super Bowl titles in his 26 years at the school. DiBiaso, 61, vowed that he is in it for the long haul at Catholic Memorial.
“I hope to be coaching until I am 80,” DiBiaso said. “I am only 61 right now, so there are 19 years to go. Maybe if I keep on taking my vitamins, I can coach until I am 90.”
Many wondered why DiBiaso would leave the state’s premier program for one that hasn’t won a Super Bowl since 1978. He said it was more him than Everett itself.
“Professionally and personally, I feel like I was getting a little stale and that I needed a change,” DiBiaso said. “It was not about Everett by any means at all. I had great kids there and great memories. I grew up there and spent the last 39 years in the building.
“Mr. (Frederick) Foresteire was the best superintendent in the state. I had great principals and great assistant coaches. This was something I needed to do for me.”
Once word got out that DiBiaso submitted his retirement papers at Everett, effective in June, he said he received several phone calls inquiring about his availability. The phone call from Catholic Memorial stood out.
“I know a lot of people who are Catholic Memorial grads and I have never heard any one of them utter a bad word about the school,” DiBiaso said. “The school just has that community-type feeling. It’s something like I did at St. Patrick’s and Weston as well as Everett early on, when there were 1,200 kids.”
DiBiaso recently met with CM president Peter Folan, who referred to DiBiaso as the best high school coach in New England, as well as athletic director Craig Najarian. The sides met on Monday and came to an agreement for DiBiaso to be football coach and associate athletic director.
“John’s communication skills are outstanding,” Najarian said. “He’s just one of those guys who has that ability to build fast friendships. It’s good to be able to do the X’s and O’s, but you have to be able to communicate with the kids and John can do that.”
DiBiaso quickly showed some of his legendary fire when he applauded the school for not taking the easy way out and trying to drop divisions based on enrollment.
“I relish the opportunity to coach at the smallest school in Division 1,” said DiBiaso, who praised Williams several times in his speech. “We are certainly going to use it as a motivational tool.”
There’s no question DiBiaso will leave a major void in Everett. While some in the community were less than pleased that he will be coaching elsewhere, assistant superintendent Charles Obremski was more than complimentary.
“John is a legend in the city of Everett,” he said. “He’s done a lot for the students of Everett High School and not just the athletes. I wish him all the best in the world in his new job.”
