Latrobe Coach Marc Billett also had a very successful season, celebrating his 200th win in his twenty years of coaching the senior high team. “To win 200 matches is a great accomplishment and milestone and I’m proud to win.” Additionally, he was awarded the “Army Strong Coach of the Week. “Anytime you get an accolade, where you get an honor, it’s great, but I give a lot of credit to the kids I coach, they are the ones working for the achievements,” commented Billett on his award. He also shared his honor with his colleges, assistant coach, Tad Habert, C’86, Dave Dave Bulebosh,C’, Rick Zavastky, GLSD C’85 and Jason McCoy, a volunteer to the team.
Billett continued to coach after his retirement from teaching at the junior high after thirty-seven of an enjoyment filled profession, a good time to step down. “Wrestling has always been a love of mine,” stated Billett. “If you do something for thirty-nine years, you better like what you’re doing, it’s been a great ride to be a part of a little bit of history. Important to add is he has coached longer than anyone in the school’s history.
Billett takes pride in the fact that he gets the chance to pass something on to his team members commenting, “somewhere along the line; someone has helped you,” reflecting on two high school coaches who were instrumental in shaping his own life. Through coaching now, he can give back to athletes, just as his coaches did to him.
His favorite part of coaching comes from the numerous relations made throughout the years. “Kids I coached in the 1970s still visit me and I still receive texts wishing the team and me good luck. “It’s a great family cohesion that we have here in our wrestling program and it gives me great feelings,” reflected Billett. “When the team travels, I still see people I’ve met all over the country. It has truly been a great sport to my family and me.”
“It’s been a great experience not only to have participated in the sport, but also to coach, especially at Latrobe,” summed up Billett. “To work with a phenomenal group of individuals, coaches and student body has been great.”
