Waynedale’s Golec stepping down as AD, football coach
Zach Golec
Waynedale’s sports teams have had plenty of success under Athletic Director Zach Golec’s guidance.
The Golden Bears will have to look for someone new to lead their athletic department in the coming years as Golec recently accepted the AD position at Indian Valley, pending board of education approval on May 20.
“I saw (the Indian Valley) job come open, and being a Tuscarawas County guy, I know what a great school district it is, what a great culture it has there,” said Golec, a Claymont High School graduate who currently lives in Tuscarawas County. “They’re top-notch academically. They’re top-notch athletically. It’s just a great place and a great culture and school, and it was just something that I couldn’t pass on pursuing.”
Golec is finishing up his second year as Waynedale’s AD. He also served as the varsity head football coach for the past two seasons.
Golec said Waynedale is a great place and tough to leave because of its academic and athletic culture.
“It was great to get to know the people I got to know here, through the administration on down to the coaches, people that have been here multiple years,” Golec said. “At a smaller school that has had the success that they have had, to keep quality people at a small place like this is special. It’s just a really good place to work at with a good culture as well.”
Golec started his professional career at Claymont, where he was a middle school teacher and an assistant football and basketball coach. He then spent five years at West Holmes, serving as an elementary and middle school teacher and the varsity football team’s defensive coordinator during its 2021 state semifinals run.
Golec said he’s most proud of doing things the right way during his time at Waynedale.
“The football program is on the right track, and whoever comes to replace me is inheriting something that they can be proud of and that they can build upon,” he said. “As athletic director it was (about) being able to develop the relationships with all the coaches that we’ve had and all of the success that we’ve had over the past two years. In multiple sports we’ve won league titles, won district titles. Obviously, baseball has won two state championships in a row, and that has been exciting. Our wrestling team took third in the state duels this past year. There’s just been so many achievements throughout multiple sports. Our girls soccer team won their first district title ever.
“I don’t want to miss anything, but there’s been so many (accomplishments). A lot of different sports here have seen a lot of success, and that’s a testament to the families, the community, the student-athletes, the coaches and the administration here.”
Golec’s favorite memory as football coach was getting his first head coaching win in the 2022 season opener.
“It was down to the wire,” said Golec, who finished his two seasons with a 6-14 overall record and a 5-9 mark in the Wayne County Athletic League. “We had to convert a two-point conversion play, and then we had to run out the clock a little bit and get a big defensive stop.”
Watching the baseball team win consecutive state titles was a major highlight as athletic director.
“Nothing’s more fun than winning your last game of the season in the tournament, so being able to be down on the field at Canal Park in Akron and putting those medals over those kids’ and coaches’ necks to win a state championship for baseball is definitely a special moment,” he said.
Golec doesn’t plan to coach again anytime soon.
“I’m ready to hang up the whistle and just go be an athletic director and (provide) servant leadership for the coaches and administration there at Indian Valley and do everything I can to keep those already established and great athletic programs moving along,” he said. “I feel blessed to be able to be associated with both districts.
“I’m leaving one that is a great district that has a lot of great things coming and entering one that is one of the most well-respected in Tuscarawas County.”