Giampietri Gives Thanks For Memories And Sends Bears Out To Practice Today
Rick Giampietri has many reasons to be thankful this Thanksgiving Day, but none more so than the fact he is going to work.
“I told the boys the best Thanksgiving I ever had was practicing football and that was 1978,” the Central Valley football coach said. “They asked if we were going to practice Thanksgiving Day. I said that was the best one I’ve had in 19 years, I’m not going to let it go now.”
The Bears are practicing because they have a Saturday night date with top-ranked Puyallup at Albi Stadium in the State 4A football semifinals, a rare pinnacle appreciated most from experience.
Nineteen years ago, Giampietri was a young assistant at Lewis and Clark. Once he got over the Tigers’ heart-breaking overtime loss in the semifinals, he believed there would be many more opportunities.
He knows better now.
“The next thing I knew, I was in the business 27 years and I wondered where it went,” he said, recalling a moment last year with a touch of awe in his voice.
More than anything, it is the voice that defines Giampietri. It is even, matter-of-fact with subtle changes in tone that reveal the heart of, we’re guessing, an emotional Teddy bear.
The excitement is almost visible when he talks about his job, which he has been doing for 28 years, and his players. There is happiness when he talks about his family and friends; appreciation when discussing his mentors. The pride is obvious when he talks about the son he coached. The devotion shows and his eyes sparkle when he talks about Pete Giampietri, the perfect coach’s wife and obviously the best friend he’ll ever have.
“Her schedule revolved around my schedule; it wasn’t the other way around,” Giampietri marveled. “There weren’t too many things she asked me to do. That’s got to be one of the reasons I’ve stayed in it as long as I have.”
All but the last five years were as an assistant, the first under George Sullivan at Lewis and Clark and the rest with Jerry Connors at LC and CV.
“Sullivan was a very business-like man who taught me a lot about organization skills,” Giampietri said. “He had us carrying little notebooks, writing things down. Jerry came my second year. He taught me the other aspect of coaching, the inspirational part.”
Giampietri evolved into a defensive guru.
“He just grew and grew until he finally took the whole thing over,” Connors said. “He studied hard, went to various clinics. We couldn’t pry him out of Pullman some days. What he did most of all was study the film. When what we wanted to happen didn’t happen, he went to the film and found out why.”
Giampietri had been a fullback and linebacker at North Central. In his last game in 1965, he rushed for what was then a city record 255 yards, which is still the NC standard.
“I think it doubled my yardage for the season,” he said with a chuckle. “It was the highlight of my high school time. I thought I was a monster. I graduated at 175 pounds and I thought I was a burly fullback who could run over anybody.”
During the state wrestling tournament, which ended with a disappointing overtime loss, his life took a dramatic change. Jack Elway asked him to play football at Grays Harbor Junior College in Aberdeen, Wash.
“If I hadn’t landed that, I was planning on joining the Marines because I thought the Marines were the toughest guys,” he said, shuddering with the memory of the Vietnam war.
He played out his career at Eastern Washington before beginning his two-plus decades as an assistant.
He replaced Connors at CV in 1993 and his 36-13-1 record includes two Greater Spokane League titles, three playoff berths and the first playoff wins in school history.
Best of all, the voice reveals, he was also able to coach his son, Rick Jr., which ultimately defines Giampietri best.
“I’d love to coach some day,” Ricky said. “I’d want his leadership abilities; that is one of the things that has made him a great coach. And his enthusiasm; players listen to what he has to say. Those are two qualities I’d like to have. He’s one of those guys who believe in developing character. I definitely want to have that. He’s a coach for life.”
It would appear the son will have plenty of time to observe.
“I can see him coaching another 20 years. He just loves it,” Pete said. “He’s met so many great people - we both have - through this.”
“If I had been a head coach for 20 or 25 years, I might be thinking it’s time to give it up,” Giampietri said. “I enjoy coming to practice. Those 1-7-1, 1-8 seasons take five or six years off your life. We experienced a few of those. I can’t even imagine it as a head coach.
“I think the big thing is as long as you think you’re making a difference with kids, as long as we’re doing something positive, teaching them how to be citizens as well as football players, I’ll keep coaching.”
And building memories that seem to astound him.
“I can remember that snowy day in 1978 when parents cleaned off a 30-by-30 area so we could practice,” he said, chuckling again at the sight of people lugging snowblowers to the practice field. “I remember it like it was just yesterday.”
Giving thanks for Thanksgiving practice.
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