by:
Tuesday, July 30, 2024 | 11:01 AM
Franklin Regional boys soccer coach Nick White
When Nick White was an assistant boys soccer coach at Fox Chapel, the Foxes would travel to a team camp at the end of the summer.
It became part of their independent training schedule, a week-long bonding event in preparation for the start of the WPIAL season.
“Getting to know the players on a deeper level is really important,” White said. “I remember getting a lot of good feedback about being able to go away and do what we wanted to do.”
White, now in his first year as head coach at Franklin Regional High School, is applying the same practice with his Panthers, who traveled north this week to participate in the Erie Premier Sports Camp in Edinboro.
Official practice will begin on August 12th, with the season opening on August 23rd.
“You can learn a lot about a person by spending four days with them,” said White, who was Eric Ingram’s assistant at Fox Chapel for 10 years.
Franklin Regional has become a playoff team every year, winning the WPIAL Class 3A championship in 2018 and 2019.
Last year, the team reached the WPIAL semifinals as an 11th seed and finished with a 12-9 record.
Consistency has been a hallmark of the program despite player and coaching turnover.
White is the team’s third head coach in the last four years and replaces Lucas Petersen, who resigned after two seasons.
White said he would have signed a long-term contract if one existed.
“It’s about building trust with the kids,” White said. “I plan on being here for a long time. The support has been amazing.”
The Panthers are looking to build another winning team in the fall, and the numbers are solid.
“We’ve had 25 to 30 people participating all summer, but we’ll probably have about 40,” White said. “They’re touching the ball a lot, working out multiple times a day.”
Training this summer has been crucial as the Panthers aim to play faster under their new coach.
“Fitness is very important,” he said. “You need fitness in this game. You have to be fit to play at a fast tempo and you also have to be mentally sharp to make decisions.”
“I want the depth to be able to charge into teams and control the pace of the game and adapt to other styles. Ideally, I want to impose my style on the other team.”
“This program is a working machine. I just want to put my hand on it.”
Among the key players expected to return are All-WPIAL selections Joey Bain and Danny Christafano.
“It’s a lot different than last year,” said Bain, who is also the football team’s kicker. “One of the main differences is how we’re physically prepared for the season. We’ve taken two fitness tests and have been busy preparing for the season so that when the first game comes around, we can outlast the other teams and have an advantage in the second half. Coach (White) is such a dedicated and hardworking coach that he drives over 30 minutes to practice. The team is counting on him and we all truly believe we can win the WPIAL and a state championship this year.”
The WPIAL realignment did not spare Franklin Regional, as the Panthers will be in a new section that includes only two teams left over from last year’s section lineup: Penn-Trafford and a much-improved Latrobe.
The Panthers also have home-and-home matchups against Allderdice, Belle Vernon, Uniontown, Washington and West Mifflin.
Their non-section schedule includes a season opener against defending WPIAL 4A champion Norwin, matches against Kiski Area, rival Plum (moving to 4A) and a rematch between White and Fox Chapel.
“I’ve been trying really hard not to wish the summer away,” White said. “I’m really excited for what’s to come. Once practice starts, there’s going to be some pressure, but there’s also a different energy.”
White, a graduate of Peters Township and Westminster and a middle school teacher in Fox Chapel, is in his first head coaching role.
Andy Saparito and Dom DiFalco are his assistants.
Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.
Tags: Franklin Area
