Roughing it: McClarin ready for 2nd season at Catasauqua
Mike McClarin said the second time is the charm for the Catasauqua High School football program.
Now in his second season as head coach, McClarin said everything is a little bit easier.
“We know how to work with the numbers a little bit better and we scaled back from what we put in last year,” McClarin said. “We want to execute better with a smaller amount of plays. The kids are really buying in, and you can see the progression they’ve made, especially on the line. It has been a big difference. The kids are miles ahead of where they were at this point last year.”
Catasauqua is trying to improve from a 1-10 mark in McClarin’s first season. The lone win was a 37-34 triumph over Wilson in overtime.
McClarin said he’s changed his approach from his rookie year.
“Now we’re more into the details, more discipline,” he said. “Now, we can go a little bit harder on them. They know the expectations and we can demand a little bit more out of them. I’m also taking on more of a role with the defense and being more of a defensive coordinator.”
In an effort to spark the offense, Adam Reinhart has gone from wide receiver to
quarterback.
“Adam is a three-sport kid who also wrestles and plays baseball,” McClarin said. “We were looking for a quarterback this year after Andrew Martinez graduated and he came to us. He said ‘Coach, I want to be the quarterback. I want to be in charge. I want to lead this team.’ He has been around Catasauqua a long time and he wants to win in his senior year. He’s a great kid. I’m very proud of him.”
The Roughies were hurt by injuries last year, decimating a roster that had around 30 kids at the start. McClarin is hopeful of staying healthier this year with about the same number of kids and looks to the offensive line to be the strength of the team.
“We’re fitting our athletes and skill-position guys around them,” McClarin said. “The line is definitely the strength.”
Did you know?
Robert McClarin Jr., the father of Mike McClarin, is an assistant on his son’s staff and offers a wealth of experience. He played at Bethlehem Catholic before graduating in 1980. He was coached by Rich Mazza and Chuck Sonon and later coached with both of them.
The father of three sons, McClarin found time to help raise three sons. In addition to Mike, Bobby McClarin played at the U.S. Naval Academy and is the founder of Five Star Heart Project, which works with inner-city kids and helps to keep them on the right path.
Matt McClarin is the middle son and is a superintendent of a construction job site. According to his father, Matt might have been the best athlete of the bunch.
“He was Division I all the way, but injury upon injury piled up on him,” Robert McClarin said. “I’m so proud of my guys and what football meant to them. I have been coaching for about 35 years, most of the time at Liberty. I was with every Liberty coach except Rich Heffernan.”
He also coached at Saucon Valley and Moravian College.
Asked what all of his sons have in common, McClarin said: “The passion for helping kids. People know about Bobby and Mike, but Matt also coaches lacrosse and basketball at Saucon Valley. He loves it, too, and he’s good at what he does because he has the passion to help kids.”