By Joe Mason
Times Sports Editor
Joe Waclawski had high hopes going into training camp last year.
Waclawski, a senior at North Catholic High School, was looking forward to his first year as the starting quarterback on North’s football team. But it didn’t take long for the season to take a turn that Waclawski hadn’t anticipated.
The Falcons, who were competing in their first year in the Blue Division, or the Philadelphia Catholic League’s small-school division, struggled through a forgettable 1-7 season. Along the way, many players quit the foundering team, and at the end of the year there were just 30 players on the Falcons.
"The end of the year was real tough," Waclawski said. "I guess having twenty kids on the sidelines (when the offense was on the field) is better than having none, and those kids wanted to be there. But we didn’t have a lot of depth, and most of the kids who were playing were underclassmen, so we all had a lot to learn.
"But still, it was disappointing," Waclawski said. "We were moving down a division and then we lost almost every game. We tried. We never quit. But we kept losing. It was easy to get frustrated, especially when we thought we had a chance to win every game."
This year, Waclawski has the same optimism that he felt a year ago. The difference this time around is that it just might be justified.
The All-Catholic quarterback and the rest of his teammates began preparing for the upcoming football season last January. And after new head coach Charlie Szydlik was hired, interest in the team started to gain momentum.
"We started lifting and getting in shape right after the season," said Waclawski, who gave up a chance to play on the Falcons’ baseball team to be ready for football. "We started off lifting, and it was just the guys who played last year. Then a few more guys heard about the team, and they started lifting. A few weeks later, we had even more guys in the weight room."
What a difference a year makes. The coaching staff greeted 77 players who showed up ready to play football on North’s first day of summer camp. And for the new coach, who formerly served as an assistant at Father Judge and also ran the Frankford Boys Club squad, the season is off to a promising start.
"I’m pleased with the turnout," Szydlik said. "We want to be competitive this year. We want to put out a good team this year. And it starts with hard work now.
"The thing that excites me about coaching at North is the type of kid who comes to this school," Szydlik said. "The kids on this team are the tough kids who will fight you the entire way. In the Catholic League, for the most part, everyone has the same amount of talent. You have some stars here and there, but for the most part, every team has pretty much the same talent. It’s just a matter of getting the most out of those kids."
Szydlik also hopes that the football team at North enjoys the same success as other athletic programs at the school.
The soccer and wrestling teams are traditional powerhouses and contend for the Catholic League championship almost every year. For the past two seasons, the baseball team has been among the best in the league.
And last year, the basketball team took a step forward, qualifying for the postseason in the rough-and-tumble Catholic League Northern Division.
"We’ve been very successful in most other sports," Szydlik said. "When I got this job, I started to go to the basketball games and to the wrestling matches and I noticed how athletic these kids were. And I also noticed how much the alumni loved coming and supporting the team. There’s a lot of pride at this school, and I want to bring that pride back to the football program. And I really think we can do that."
Szydlik also noted how he will do his best to recruit the top athletes at North to play for his football team.
"The other programs are doing very well here," Szydlik said. "I’m a Frankford guy, and I know how the alumni loves a good football team. The school has been very supportive of me. Father (Vince) Smith, the president, has been very supportive and has helped me every way possible.
"When I first got the job, people would come up to me and say, ‘Are you sure you know what you’re getting into?’" Szydlik added. "And I really believe that this can work. I have a great bunch of kids, a great coaching staff that includes ten varsity coaches and four freshmen coaches, and a great school that’s very supportive. That’s all you can ask for."
And for Szydlik, this year will be special just because he’s on the sidelines of a Catholic League football game.
"Last year when I was coaching under (Father Judge football coach) Tom Coyle, there were times when I just stopped and looked around because I was so happy to be there," Szydlik said. "Catholic League football is the ultimate, as far as I’m concerned. I want to be here. The kids want to be here. And I’m really excited about getting out there for the games." oo
Sports editor Joe Mason can be reached at 215-354-3035 or jmason@phillynews.com