The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Mentor coach gets ready for final season
Mentor High School football coach Steve Trivisonno is gearing up for final first day of practice.
On a warm August morning in 1984, a young, aspiring coach trotted out onto the practice field at Anthony Wayne High School in northwestern Ohio for his first go-around as an assistant coach.
That young kid — still a college student — was full of big dreams and big plans for his future as a coach as he dug in for the first practice of the season with the Generals.
Fast forward to today. Thirty-four years later, that young coach from 1984 will trot out onto the field for his final first day of practice Aug. 1 with the Mentor Cardinals. That coach?
Steve Trivisonno, who is coaching his final year this season before stepping aside as the most successful football coach in program history.
“It's been interesting. A lot of last-firsts,” said Trivisonno, lounging back in his chair in the home locker room beneath Jerome T. Osborne Stadium. “I've been doing that a lot lately. Today was our last offseason conditioning day. Tomorrow is my last first day of practice.
“I also had my last equipment pass-out the other day. Boy, that's a miserable day. I tell ya, that's not one I'm going to miss.”
When the Cardinals hit the field for their first practice of the 2019 season, Trivisonno will do so with a 196-69 (.740) career record, a career spanning back to 1997 when he took over for former coach Mike Pavlansky, who left Mentor to take the Canfield job he still holds to this
“I’m not getting caught up in (a farewell tour). I’m going to give everything I have to make this the best possible year I can. I’m looking forward to really getting after it this year.”
day.
Players have come and gone. So have some great, high-profile assistants, though a few (Jim Funk and Nes Janiak) have been with Trivisonno from the get-go.
There have been stellar seasons, such as state runner-up finishes in 2006, 2007, 2013 and 2017.
Conversely, there have been a few not-so-good campaigns. The one constant since 1997? Trivisonno.
But that ends next year when a new face will lead the program. So with that in mind, Trivisonno heads into his final season with determination to finish what he started. It all begins Aug. 1 with his final first day of practice.
“Oh man, the game has changed a lot,” Trivisonno said. “The style of offense is different. So is the offseason regimen. Back in those days, you didn't have the offseasons you have now. Now, football is a yearround thing.”