One more for Simcoe
Longtime football coach says '07 will be it; Brown retires after long coaching career

Paul Simcoe

Change is in the air with the Coudersport High School football program.

This is the first year since the 1960s that the affable Earl Brown will not stroll the sidelines.

A former assistant coach who took over the varsity in the 1970s, Brown later moved to catch the young football players in their formative years as junior high coach.

Brown has decided to retire as both a football coach and the head coach of the Coudersport track and field teams. In each capacity, the respected vocational agriculture teacher has played a major role in the most successul era ever in school sports.

Dana Daisley has been promoted to the head coach for the junior high team, with Scott Robinson sliding over from the varsity and JV program to assist.

Also this year, long-time varsity football coach Paul Simcoe confirmed that this is probably going to be his last season at the helm. Tom Russell, Simcoe's long-time assistant and current defensive coordinator, has also said he expects to hang it up after the 2007 campaign.

Earl Brown

Simcoe long ago established himself as the winningest coach in school history. During his era, the Falcons have won PIAA District 9 and Allegheny Mountain League championships. His two most recent squads have qualified for the state's Final Four and Elite Eight Class A finals, respectively.

Simcoe, a native of Troy, arrived as an assistant coach under Brown, were he emphasized conditioning and was a logical successor when Brown decided to step aside.

"Thirty-five years is a long time," Simcoe said in confirming his likely retirement. "I think it's time to look into doing some other things in my life."

He's also a physical education and driver education teacher with the school district. Simcoe did say that he intends to remain in the Coudersport area after he retires.

He and his wife, the former Pam Gooch, have raised three children. Their youngest, Ross, will be a linebacker and defensive leader for Allegheny College this season.

This year's varsity football team opens up with a controlled scrimmage, open to the public, at Metzger Field, on Saturday starting at 10 a.m.