Coaches Corner – Brian Dzurenda

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, April 3, 2017 | 1:51 PM

In this feature titled “Coach’s Corner”, I will be interviewing a different coach every week and asking them questions about their personal life and about coaching. Hopefully their answers will not only shed some light on how they coach their respective teams, but also allow readers to get to know the men behind the fields/courts.

This week features head baseball coach Brian Dzurenda of the Serra Catholic Eagles. Coach Dzurenda is in his 18^th year coaching at his alma mater. He has led the Eagles to WPIAL championships in 2009, 2010, and 2016. He has also led Serra Catholic to a record three straight PIAA state championship games from 2009-2011, claiming state gold in 2011. Let’s take a look inside Coach Dzurenda’s corner:
 

1.       What are some of your pet peeves?

My biggest pet peeve is being late.  If practice starts at 3pm you should be there at 2:45 and on the field at 3pm. I’ve thrown a fit or two through the years which seems to set everyone straight. My other pet peeve is a lack of communication between players. We preach communication every day to the student athletes.

2.       What is your favorite TV show now?

Probably either Gold Rush or The Curse of Oak Island. I’m into Adventure reality shows.

3.       Who was your favorite sports player growing up and why?

I loved watching Doug Drabek pitch back in the 90’s. He was as dominant a pitcher as there was back then. Last Cy young winner the Bucs had I believe.

4.       What is your favorite quote?

“Love what you do or quit” I love coaching baseball and am passionate about it. When the passion goes away so will I.

5.       Each year on the day the WPIAL baseball pairings come out, you have a team get together at your house. How did that start?

Way Back when The streak started in 2000-01 one of my players parents wanted to host a celebratory party but the day of the party he was sick and cancelled the party so I just had the kids over for pizza after our last game. It happened to be the same day of the Playoff draw. The party has grown into a Serra Baseball alumni party with many past players, parents and coaches showing up. It takes weeks to plan. Last year there was enough food to feed a small Catholic army. Just a thought, MSA Should come to the party if we make it this year!

6.       If you could take 3 things to a deserted island, what would they be?

1. An L screen 

2. My team

3. Bucket of balls

7.       What is the most important thing you try to preach to your players every year?

I tell them day one of workouts that we will not be outworked. If they are not willing to make that commitment, then please don’t bother coming out for the baseball team.

8.       You have lead the Eagles to 3 WPIAL titles since 2009. What was it like to win back to back titles in 2009 and 2010?

The first championship vs Carmichaels was a special moment for sure. We had heard all week that we had no chance to beat Joby Lapkowicz who was the WPIALs best lefty at the time. In 2010 we were heavy favorites with Alain Girman throwing in the 90’s. It was an awesome experience to see him pitch a no hitter in the championship vs Neshannock, the first no hitter at any level at Consol Energy Park.

9.       What is your proudest moment as a high school baseball coach?

I have a couple, last year’s WPIAL Championship against our rivals GCC ranks up there because we had lost to them twice during the regular season and were given very little chance to beat them by the media. I’m also very proud to be the only high school baseball team in PIAA history to have played in 3 consecutive state championship games (09,10 and ’11) winning in 2011.

10.   What has it meant to you to be able to guide the Serra Catholic baseball program for 18 years now, considering you are a 1990 graduate?

Coaching at my alma mater was a dream of mine for a while. I was lucky enough to get the head job at a young age and was given time to develop and mature into the role. There has always been stability at Serra Catholic with all the coaches and I think it shows in the school’s successful programs. I hope to retire from coaching at Serra. It’s a great school with a fantastic tradition and family atmosphere.

11.   What was your most embarrassing moment as a high school baseball coach?

Getting on the bus to go to Springdale with the team in ’07 without my hat and coaching shoes. I was so mad and embarrassed that I made myself run foul poles the next day at practice in front of the team. It’s what I would have made the team do if they would have forgotten them.

12.   After falling in back to back PIAA state championship games in 2009 and 2010, you and your squad finally captured PIAA state gold in 2011. Describe that experience.

In 2009 we were beaten by a better team in Camp Hill High. 2010 was a devastating loss against Christopher Dock as we were winning in the bottom of the 7th with no one on, 2 outs and 2 strikes on the batter. I can honestly remember thinking immediately after the game that we may never get another chance to play in this forum. I did not think after losing 7 starters that we had a chance to get back to a state championship game again but we did in ’11 becoming the only team in state history to go to 3 straight championships.  2011 was a magical season with a team that had a total of 11 players in the program and I had to beg 1 of them to play. At times that year we were down to 9 healthy players. In order to win the state championship, we had to beat 4 consecutive district champions and that had never been done either.

13.   How did you decide you wanted to coach baseball?

I guess it runs in my blood. My grandfather was instrumental with coaching legion baseball in Glassport back in the 50’s and 60’s as well as coaching the Glassport Odds football team. I started coaching my younger brother’s baseball teams at an early age and loved the preparation involved in putting a winning team on the field.

14.   How much time do you spend on your home field, Little Boston Field?

Let’s just say I don’t see my family enough during the spring. Boston Field is by no means a “nice field” but I take pride in making it as nice a venue as I possibly can. I have been the field crew from day 1 and love every minute of it. It’s a good feeling knowing that you don’t have to rely on anyone to determine if your game is rained out. We play often when others cancel and that’s part of what Serra baseball is about.

15.   How important has your family been throughout your coaching career?

I’ve been blessed with a wonderful wife Meredith who was an athlete at Serra and played Basketball for William Cleary, the current AD. She understands what it takes to produce a winner and has been unbelievably supportive of all my coaching endeavors. My two daughters love to root on the baseball team and are looking forward to attending Serra in the future.