Tom Jaworski is sticking to his retirement plan, and Monday he made it official.
Omaha Creighton Prep’s football coach, whose 336 wins are the most in state history, will complete his career at the end of this season.
“I decided last year that I would retire from teaching last spring,’’ Jaworski said. “Dan Schinzel (Prep athletic director) had mentioned a number of times that he’d like me to stick around as coach. So I’m thankful for his faith and the opportunity he and our principal, John Naatz, gave me.
“It sounded like a good deal. I’m pumped.’’
There are no thoughts about going past his 39th year as the leader on the Junior Jays’ sideline, he said.
“It’s time. It’s been a good run,’’ the 66-year-old coach said. “My wife (Diane) and I have some things we want to do. She’s retiring from the Visiting Nurse Association in January. We bought a place in Arizona, and that was decided last winter, too.’’
Under Jaworski, Prep has won nine Class A state playoff championships in 15 finals appearances, including a record five in a row from 1985 to 1989. His 1985 team, which went 12-0, is considered one of the best in state history.
He was The World-Herald’s Nebraska high school coach of the year in 1987.
Soon after he decided to coach and not teach one more year, Jaworski said he made his team aware of what he was planning. “but I didn’t make any ‘official’ announcement of ‘this is it.’’’
He said he was his old self for Monday’s first practices of the year.
“I was as grumpy as ever,’’ Jaworski said. “This is a good group we have, and I’m looking forward to coaching them.’’
Prep to name stadium for Leahys
Creighton Prep will name its soccer and football stadium for Don Leahy and his wife, Carmen. Don Leahy is a former Junior Jays player, football coach and athletic director.
The dedication will be at 6 p.m. Aug. 20 during the school’s annual Blue-White football scrimmage.
Leahy was a three-sport athlete at Prep, graduating in 1947. He played quarterback at Marquette, starting for the North in the 1951 Blue-Gray all-star game.
He was football coach at Prep for 17 years and athletic director for 13. His teams were a combined 118-25-7 with eight mythical state titles in football, and they were city champs three times in baseball. He also has been athletic director at UNO and Creighton University.
Contact the writer:
444-1041, stu.pospisil@owh.com
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