SACKVILLE, N.B. — It shouldn’t have come as a total surprise, but Tantramar football fans were taken aback over the weekend when word hit the streets that “Mr. Football” himself, Scott O’Neal, will not be behind the bench next season when the football Titans launch their drive to capture their sixth successive New Brunswick high school football crown.
O’Neal was caught briefly on Saturday on his way to a well-earned vacation cruise. While he had a few general comments, a full account will be prepared for a future column when he returns refreshed from a long season of intense planning and coaching.
However, he said it was time to retire, and why not while he and the team are on a high?
He has been coaching the Titans for the past 14 years, serving eight as the boss man. Long before that he had completed his high school years with the Titans and then performed as linebacker and fullback with the Mounties for five seasons.
He has posted an impeccable win-loss record during his career, and over the past five seasons has taken the team to a 45-1 performance.
During his term as Titan head coach, he has built a successful relationship with various parts of the community. By holding regular meetings with parents, he managed to gain their full support, something that is necessary for a successful operation. O’Neal’s unique style of coaching at the high school level has attracted athletes at various levels to join the team – also perhaps partially due to the Titan Pride image.
The words “no” and “can’t” do not belong in the Titan vocabulary. Thus it is with discipline that the young athletes have committed themselves to the program through an honest off-season training program, which has made them stronger, quicker and bigger.
This columnist has heard less talented players say they would rather ride the bench and be a Titan than take another direction. Again, a clear example of Titan Pride.
As Gail (Burns) LeBlanc has often said, it is the three C’s of commitment, conditioning and coaching that has turned an average squad into perennial champions.
O’Neal said he isn’t really resigning – just taking a break – and could be back to help out when his third son John dons a Titan uniform. In the meantime, he plans to do some relaxing, watching his sons Aidan and Owen play at the university level and enjoy more family time.
He also said he believes school officials will announce his successor sometime in January.
He has had a brilliant group of football experts – ranked well above any other staff in the province – and several of them possess the skills to assume control.
Scott O’Neal will miss the daily Titan routine but feels he is leaving a group of athletes capable of continuing the championship run no matter who takes charge.
And so, once again, change is the only constant, but seeing such a successful leader step down brings a tear to the eye of the hundreds and hundreds of die-hard Titans followers.
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