After a distinguished career as both an athletic director and football coach at Edgewood, Dave Melaragno decided it was time for retirement.
Now, it is time to remind all Warrior supporters just how important Melaragno was to the Edgewood community.
Prior to its home opener in football, an Aug. 31 game against rival Jefferson, Edgewood will honor Melaragno and his 1986 football squad that went 9-1 won and took home an NEC championship.
“Dave did a lot for Edgewood in his 10 years as an athletic director,” new Edgewood AD Steve Kray said. “We wanted to do something to honor him as athletic director, but also as a coach. He led the 1986 team to an NEC championship and we want to honor them as well as him.”
Pregame ceremonies begin at approximately 7 p.m. with kickoff slated for 7:30.
Kray is looking for any former players of Melaragno’s to attend the event and RSVP their attendance to Bobbi Boles, who can be reached at 997-5301.
While the event is planned to honor Melaragno, it will particularly highlight the 1986 team, which was his most successful during his coaching career.
Kray said it was important for him, as the school’s new athletic director, to honor the accomplishments of Melaragno and his teams.
“It was really important to me, when I took over, to do something to honor him,” he said. “I think it’s important to honor our tradition at Edgewood. I really wanted to plan something that reminded people of all he did for the school.”
Melaragno served as the Warriors’ AD for the past 10 years.
Before that, he served as the team’s football coach for 16 seasons, from 1982 to 1997.
He finished his coaching career in 2000 during a 3-7 year at SS. John and Paul
The coach racked up a 58-102 record during his 16 seasons at Edgewood (61-109 overall).
Melaragno was inducted into the Ashtabula County Hall of Fame in 2009 for his contributions as both a player at Edgewood in the 1960s then his time as the school’s head coach.
Kray, who played for Melaragno while he was at Edgewood, said the coach established a strong program during his team with the Warriors.
“We’ve had some great years with Dave as our head coach,” he said. “While he was here, football was a really big deal and he did a great job establishing discipline and consistency.”
Kray hopes for a strong showing of support at the game.
The fact that many of Melaragno’s former players are still in contact with him speaks strongly to his ability to relate with his players, Kray said.
“I believe he’s still in contact with a lot of his players, particularly from that 1986 team, and that’s going back over 20 years,” he said. “So that’s a testament to how he was with his kids and how they enjoyed working under him.”
Kray stressed the importance of Melaragno’s former players RSVP-ing for the event so he and his staff can plan properly for the event.
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