John Cacace — Reflections of Watertown High teacher-coaches

    WHS football has much support from teacher-coaches, and one such person is math teacher John Cacace.

    Cacace’s favorite part of being head football coach is the ability to work with kids on life skills that aren’t typically taught in school. He also enjoys the competitiveness of coaching.

    “Trying to game plan and scheme, and outwit another team and other coaches, it all comes together,” he said.

    Coaching was something Cacace has wanted to do ever since his high school days, and starting nine years ago, that dream has become a reality for him at WHS.

    As for playing himself, Cacace says, “I was a Division 3-type player, and I had to make a decision between going to a smaller school and playing D3 level or going to a bigger school and enjoying some of the things bigger schools have to offer.”

    Eventually, he made the choice to attend the University of Michigan and appreciate the athletics there as a spectator, saying “it was a great experience nonetheless and I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

    And the experience Cacace’s had at WHS has been a valuable one as well. His best memory from coaching was watching kids develop and discover their own potential.

    “Those feel good stories that really stay with me are seeing kids be successful, go to college, and move on to do good things,” he said.

–May 25, 2016–