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Altomare ready for a fresh challenge

LEETONIA–Matt Altomare has spent the last five years taking a break from head coaching and re-charging his batteries.

He feels the time is now right to take on another challenge.

The former Leetonia coach was announced on Monday as the next head football coach at Lisbon High School, pending Board approval on Thursday, January 9.

“The timing was just right to come back,” Altomare said. “I feel refreshed and ready to go.”

Altomare, 43, was the Leetonia head coach from 2007-14 with a record of 34-48. His eight-year run as head coach of the Bears included an Inter-Tri County League lower tier title in 2007 and playoff appearances in 2007 and 2008. He was the Columbiana County Coach of the Year in 2007. Altomare chose not to re-apply for a ninth season at Leetonia after meeting with the superintendent following the 2014 season.

He was one of 27 applicants for the Lisbon job. The Blue Devils were in the market for a new coach after Alan Mikovich resigned in November following a two-year stint that saw him go 4-16. Lisbon is coming off a 1-9 season.

As soon as Altomare, who remains as a teacher at Leetonia, saw the position open up, he immediately sensed it was a good fit.

“I didn’t have to think twice about it honestly,” Altomare said. “I have a lot of respect for the Lisbon schools, the community and their football tradition. Their community really gets behind the athletic programs. Lisbon and Leetonia are very similar communities, I think it’s an exciting opportunity.”

Altomare has spent time as an assistant at both Canfield and Salem, where he was a defensive coordinator, during his break from head coaching.

He began to feel the urge to run his own program again after watching Salem coach Ron Johnson in action over the past couple of seasons.

“I have a lot of respect for the consistent program coach Johnson has built there,” Altomare said. “Watching all of the relationship-building stuff that goes on behind the scenes made we want to experience that again. That’s the part of the game you miss the most.”

Altomare said the break also provided him the opportunity to learn and grow as a coach.

“I had the opportunity to work with two great coaches in coach (Mike) Pavlansky at Canfield and coach (Ron) Johnson at Salem,” Altomare said. “They have two different styles and I picked up a lot of things from both of them. I learned a lot about program-building. As a coach, you are always looking to adapt and grow, and I think those experiences will help me out a lot with this new job.”

The Blue Devils have had a rough go of it over the last two seasons, but Altomare isn’t the least bit daunted as he prepares to get to work.

“We’re looking to build something that lasts,” Altomare said. “It’s not going to happen overnight. We need to stay focused and and take it one day at a time. I can’t wait to get started.”

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