By LORENZO RECUPERO
The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association announced there will be a 2021 MIAA High School Football season beginning February 22.
The rescheduled fall sports season, or “Fall 2” season as it’s been dubbed by the MIAA, will be allowed to start later this month after the pandemic ravaged any plans of play when the school year started remotely in September.
The safeguards in place for the upcoming football season include larger team boxes, to ensure social distancing, and face masks must be worn by players and coaches at all times.
With the MIAA’s announcement came an equally as important announcement for the Everett Crimson Tide: a familiar face will be taking over as new head football coach.
The hometown hire of Robert DiLoreto, a graduate of Everett High’s 1984 class, keeps with the school’s trend of bringing in familiar faces to help lead its youth athletes, as he joins a group of former EHS graduates who have come back to lead at their alma mater, including basketball coach Stanley Chamblain, softball coach Stacy Poste, and former football coach Theluxon Pierre.
And it’s important to note, all of the aforementioned coaches have had winning records at the helm for EHS.
DiLoreto now joins the club as the newest EHS grad turned head coach. “His coaching pedigree is clear,” EHS Athletic Director Tammy Turner said of her new hire in a news briefing on the Everett Public School’s website. “But what struck me most is how genuine and passionate he is about our school, our football program, and our city,” she said. “It is clear that he will put our players’ interests above all else, in every decision he makes,” said Turner.
As a former football assistant at EHS under coach John DiBiaso in 2017 & 2018 and with Theluxon Pierre in 2019, DiLoreto will bring a much-needed familiarity and understanding to athletes that have had to endure the ramifications of the pandemic.
In a statement released on the EPS website, DiLoreto said “ I’m euphoric. This is literally a dream come true for me. I am honored and humbled, and I can’t wait to get started and do the best job I can for our kids.”
DiLoreto has been an active teacher and administrator at Arlington High School since 1996. In 1998, as coach of Pope John High School, he was named Boston Globe Coach of the Year.