Cooperstown varsity football program looks for fresh start with Hartwick graduate Segina

Local Sports

Discussion

COMMENTING ON STORIES:

Welcome to our story comments feature. We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including the unpopular ones. We only ask that you keep your conversations clean, civil and on the topic of the story you are commenting on.

Coinciding with our websites redesign, we launched our new story comments feature through Disqus.

Disqus gives users the ability to log into our story comments feature so that they may be able to track their conversations, receive emails when their comments get a reply or to even have your comments update onto your Facebook or Twitter accounts.

For the time being, our story comments feature will continue to have the ability to post comments anonymously. We reserve the right to require registration in the future using your name and verified email address.

Not all comments are deemed printable. Some are disqualified at the newspaper’s discretion for a number of different reasons. Please follow our Online Rules of Conduct at all times.

RULES OF CONDUCT:

We reserve the right to remove comments that are unacceptable, to wit:

1. False and inacurate statements.
2. Personal attacks. Explicit name-calling.
3. Harassing, harmful, vulgar, obscene and defamatory language.
4. Threatening statements or statements that suggest violence.
5. Hate speech of any kind.
6. Intolerant comments on religion, race, age, gender, sexual preference or disabilities.
7. Accusations of criminal activity.
8. Content that is harmful to children and minors in any way.
9. References to any type of sexual activity and other private matters.
10. Random and inflammatory statements that are off topic.
11. Advertising of any kind.
12. Typing in all caps.

WE ENCOURAGE REASONABLE AND COURTEOUS COMMENTS THAT:

1. Create conversation on issues of interest and concern to fellow readers and local community members.
2. Express opinions and contrarian views.
3. Stimulate debate with respectful language.
4. Stay within the boundaries of these rules.

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SUSPEND OR TERMINATE ACCESS FOR:

1. Violating any of these Online Rules of Conduct.
2. Deliberately disrupting discussions with repetitive messages, meaningless messages or spam.
3. Misrepresentation of identity or impersonating another user.

WE WELCOME:

1. Flagging violations of these rules that you observe to our attention.

MONITORING:

We monitor comments regularly Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Approval of comments outside of this time (including weekends) will be sporadic.

comments powered by Disqus

June 28, 2012

Cooperstown varsity football program looks for fresh start with Hartwick graduate Segina

By Greg Klein Contributing Writer The Daily Star Thu Jun 28, 2012, 03:30 AM EDT

The Cooperstown varsity football program will start over with Mark Segina.

Following a winless season of turmoil that included hazing allegations, the Redskins turned to Hartwick College graduate Segina to pick up the pieces.

"Frankly, I am quite excited," said Mount Vision resident Segina, 45, who coached the Unadilla Valley modified program last season. "There are good athletes here. We have lots of potential. There's a lot of size on the lines and lots of speed."

Last season, there were lots of problems at Cooperstown.

Five varsity players faced non-criminal harassment charges stemming from an alleged bullying incident of a teammate during a September practice. Those charges officially were filed in December and adjourned in contemplation of dismissal last month.

Additionally, first-year coach Glen Noto stepped down in the middle of the season because of a death in his family, leaving assistant coach Nate Conte in charge.

The Redskins finished the season 0-8, getting outscored, 227-43, in the process.

Segina seems to have already put Cooperstown's nightmare season in the past.

"The chance to be a varsity head coach doesn't happen every day," said Segina, who also will serve the Cooperstown School District as a substitute teacher. "Talking with (outgoing Cooperstown athletic director) Jay Baldo and the administration, I knew that there were quality athletes here and a commitment to keeping the football program. It is a quality athletic program."

Still, Segina said accepting the position at Cooperstown was difficult.

"I love the kids over at Unadilla Valley," he said. "I had great kids, a great administration and a great faculty. It was a good group all around. It was a very hard decision."

Segina said he's already reviewed film from Cooperstown's 2011 season and is trying to meet as many players and parents as possible.

"The thing is, I care about the kids who play for me. I get more nervous coaching them than I ever did playing," he said. "My goal, first and foremost, is I want to get to know the players and their families. I want them to know who I am."

Segina said he doesn't believe in yelling and he won't get angry about mistakes on the field.

"Everyone makes mistakes," he said. "I will make mistakes coaching. I don't want them to fear making a mistake. It is my job to teach them to correct their mistakes."

Segina said he'll attempt to install "a hybrid spread Boise State-type West Coast offense," and a 3-4 defense built on team speed that resembles SEC systems.

Strength and conditioning, he said, will be the foundation for success at all levels of play _ from modified to varsity.

Segina's first season is sure to be a busy one, but he seems to be OK with that.

"I have five children _ three boys and two girls," he said. "The oldest just finished his freshman year at Hartwick and the youngest is in third grade at Laurens. You could say we're used to the chaos."