Chuck Adamopoulos has been teaching on a year-to-year foundation in his thoughts for the previous few seasons.
As the 2022 playoffs commenced, the highly-successful Central Catholic determined it was time to cross the torch. He let just a few assistants in on the information that the Thanksgiving Day soccer recreation can be his final in a profession which noticed him win 204 video games, three Super Bowl titles and numerous Merrimack Valley Conference championships.
“The last couple of years, I evaluated at the end of the year whether I was going to come back for another year,” mentioned Adamopoulos, who will stay on the faculty as a trainer. “I sort of knew heading into the playoffs this yr that this was in all probability going to be it. I turned 63 the opposite day and I’m able to spend time with household, grandchildren and loosen up a bit.
“I’ve nice reminiscence of the youngsters who performed for me, I used to be lucky to have a bunch of actually good guys. I’ve nice reminiscences of the fellows I coached with, a lot of them who have been right here with me for a very long time. A man like Bob Jowett has been right here with me for the previous 39 years and was an assistant once I began the wrestling program right here.
“Most of the other guys on the staff played here and came back to coach. Those friendships and memories are things I will cherish the most. You just can’t put a price on that.”
Adamopoulos was named head coach in 1997 and instantly made his presence felt. After a 1-2 begin, the Raiders went on a run to win the primary of back-to-back Division 2 Super Bowl titles.
“I remember I got hired for the job at the beginning of the summer and had to do a lot of scrambling around,” Adamopoulos mentioned. “The team started 1-2 but we came together to win a Super Bowl. I could not have asked for a better group of kids that first year.”
Of the 26 years that Adamopoulos served as head coach, his groups amassed profitable information in 23 of them, together with the final 14. Former Xaverian teaching legend Charlie Stevenson went in opposition to Adamopoulos twice in Super Bowls and their groups went to camps collectively.
“Chuck is a really good guy, I enjoyed our times at those camps and the scrimmages,” Stevenson mentioned. “His teams were always very well prepared and he developed an excellent program at Central Catholic. I’ve always thought that programs won and that was because of Chuck.”
John DiBiaso confronted Adamopoulos a number of instances in his years at Everett. As a lot as the college’s had a rivalry due largely to their success on the gridiron, DiBiaso had the best quantity of respect for his counterpart.
“I’ve always admired Chuck, he is the type of guy you want your son to play for,” mentioned DiBiaso, now teaching at Catholic Memorial. “He comes from a great family, he’s a great father, a great grandfather – he’s just everything you want in a person. I’m sorry to hear that he’s retiring, but I am happy for him.”
It was within the new playoff system again in 2013 that Adamopoulos defeated each Everett and Xaverian to seize the college’s first Div. 1 Super Bowl title.
“That was a special time, being the first team to win in that format was special,” Adamopoulos mentioned. “But really, every team has memories of their own for me. There’s just so many different things about each time and every one of them provided me with great memories.”
In addition to soccer and wrestling, Adamopoulos additionally coached observe and baseball in addition to a trainer within the enterprise and know-how division. Central Catholic president Christopher Sullivan says that Adamopoulos’ presence on the faculty can’t simply be put in phrases.
“Everyone knows that Chuck is a phenomenal coach, but he’s someone who builds relationships with every kid the school and they know he’s always got their back,” Sullivan mentioned. “I can bear in mind again in 2012 when our director or constructing and grounds advised me that Chuck reduce a apply brief in order that the coaches and everybody on the staff went to the play on the faculty. He advised them that these youngsters cheered for us all yr, now we are able to go assist them.
“Chuck is just a great person, he is as good as it gets.”
CHUCK ADAMOPOULOS
CENTRAL CATHOLIC
1997 – 10-2-0 (SB-W)
1998 – 10-1-0 (SB-W)
1999 – 6-4-0
2000 – 8-2-0
2001 – 6-4-0
2002 – 6-5-0
2003 – 9-2-0
2004 – 3-7-0
2005 – 6-4-0
2006 – 8-4-0 (PO-L)
2007 – 5-6-0
2008 – 5-6-0
2009 – 8-3-0
2010 – 7-4-0
2011 – 6-5-0
2012 – 9-2-0
2013 – 11-1-0 (SB-W)
2014 – 9-2-0
2015 – 10-2-0 (SB-L)
2016 – 8-2-0
2017 – 10-1-0
2018 – 8-3-0
2019 – 9-2-0
2020 – 7-0-0
2021 – 11-2-0 (SB-L)
2022 – 9-3-0
Totals: 204-79-0
Source: www.bostonherald.com