Sad day at Allderdice as football team takes practice field without late coach Jerry Haslett

By: Chris Harlan
Monday, August 5, 2024 | 9:46 PM

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Mark Matson’s morning started with a scavenger hunt of sorts as the Allderdice assistant coach searched through boxes for the football team’s practice jerseys.

“’Has’ liked to say, ‘Every day is an adventure,’” Matson said. “Today’s adventure was finding the practice jerseys.”

There were many moments Monday when thoughts turned to Jerry Haslett, the late Allderdice head coach affectionately called “Coach Has.” He would’ve been there handing out equipment on the first day of heat acclimation. But much has changed for the team since his death two weeks ago.

Notably, there was now one voice less around the practice field.

“It felt quiet,” senior linebacker Mario Watkins Jr. said. “Usually when he gets here, we know he’s here. It felt different today. But it’s still good. We kept it moving for him.”

Haslett, 59, was driving to an Allderdice scrimmage at his high school alma mater, Northgate, when he died suddenly July 24 after experiencing a medical emergency near his Northside home. He was Allderdice’s coach for 15 seasons and won three City League titles. The Dragons had gone 50 years without winning one before he ended that drought in 2017.

He led the team to the finals nine times and won twice more, in 2018 and ‘21.

“It’s sad,” Matson said. “But (the players) are pretty good so far at pushing through that and recognizing we’re less than three weeks out from a game. We’ve got to grieve together out here.”

Even without him there, Haslett’s impact was obvious.

A giant letter “A” dug into the hillside was accompanied now by an “H” and “S” in spray paint. As a conditioning drill, the Allderdice players traditionally run up and down the “A.” Linemen ran the “A” on Monday morning.

The team scheduled a couple of two-hour practices each day this week to fulfill PIAA heat acclimation requirements.

“It is obviously really weird to not have Coach Has out here barking at dudes,” Matson said. “Other than that, we’re trying to make it as normal as possible.”

The “A” on the hillside by Allderdice’s practice field now says “HAS” for late coach Jerry Haslett #HSSN pic.twitter.com/jjAJIuRCM4

— Chris Harlan (@CHarlan_Trib) August 5, 2024

The team had 32 players at Monday’s workout, a number expected to increase to around 40.

Other tributes will follow. Matson said the team plans to wear helmet decals and arm bands this fall in remembrance of Haslett, and they’re thinking about inviting his family or former players as honorary captains.

Allderdice starts its season Aug. 23 at Fox Chapel.

“We’re a very tough team, but it’s still emotional for us,” said Watkins Jr., whose father coaches the defense. “We still show some emotions when it happened and during the funeral. But as a team, we keep it private, handle it privately and keep going.”

Pittsburgh Public Schools hasn’t yet approved an interim coach for the season. Matson led Monday’s practice. The 40-year-old Slippery Rock native has coached and taught Spanish at Allderdice for 10 years.

The coaching staff overall, which includes four of Haslett’s former players, has rallied together to carry on. Those who played for him have said Haslett treated his players as more than just athletes.

“He really cared about us off the field,” said offensive coordinator Pat Ferguson, a 2013 graduate who played running back for Haslett. “He made sure we always had a meal. Made sure we always got to practice. He checked up on us after football season was over. … I always loved him as a second dad.”

Assistant coaches Anthony Langford, Kenny Hardin and Bishop Gethers also played football for Haslett.

His death was shocking for the current players, senior lineman Edward Simms said. He described Haslett as a coach driven to “make everybody on the field great,” but also as someone with a “hilarious” sense of humor.

The players mourned him as a group, attended his funeral together and launched balloons from the practice field in his memory. They took time to grieve, but they’re certain Haslett would tell them to get back to work.

“He probably would’ve yelled at us and said, ‘Get on the field and jog it off,’” Simms said. “It’s kind of weird not hearing his voice, but we’ve got to move forward.”

Dennis Robinson is the Allderdice assistant who had worked with Haslett the longest. The longtime friends coached together for 30 years, starting at Oliver. He said it felt “eerie” not seeing Haslett on the practice field.

“I’m still looking for that five-minute call,” Robinson said. “Five minutes before practice, five minutes before games.”

Haslett’s last call to Robinson came about five minutes before leaving the house for his drive to Northgate two weeks ago.

“He was walking out the door and getting in his car,” Robinson said. “Five minutes later, his wife called me.”

The players heard about Haslett’s death soon after their scrimmage at Northgate.

“Oh man, that day,” Watkins, the team’s middle linebacker, said shaking his head. “It was just unbelievable. Once we heard the news, it devastated the guys.”

The school had counselors available to talk with the students. Along with coaching football, Haslett worked as a business teacher at Allderdice since 2007, later adding the title of activities and athletic director.

“I was definitely shocked,” Simms said. “I didn’t know what we were going to do. Last year we didn’t do too well. Coach Has really wanted us to rebuild this year and go far.”

Allderdice went 1-8 last season. The players said they’re motivated to win this fall in his memory.

“It’s very important,” Watkins Jr. said. “One and eight was not good for us. He preached that that’s not us. We will bounce back.”

Haslett suffered a serious hip injury a year ago after falling off a flatbed truck. He needed a golf cart to get around practice last summer and coached from the press box in the fall. But he wasn’t ready to retire.

“We’d talked and we were going to finish it,” Robinson said. “This was supposed to be his last year. … He was crazy about this team right here.”

In the huddle before lunch Monday, the team recalled some of Haslett’s words of wisdom. Poignant messages, such as, “Blink and your season is over.” But also simpler ones, like, “Always salt your food.”

“All of us are trying to regroup, get our thoughts and ourselves together the way he would’ve wanted,” Robinson said. “He would say it’s all about moving on in life — not sitting still.”

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

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