2022 HEAD COACHING ASSIGNMENTS

8TH GRADE NORTH: Matt Waldis

Coach Matt Waldis is rejoining the Westport PAL football program as head coach for our grade 8th grade team. Coach Waldis has 5 years of prior youth coaching experience across 12 different teams in tackle football, flag football, basketball, and baseball. Coach Waldis was the 2021 defensive coordinator on the 7^th grade Westport PAL football team, leading that group of boys to their first winning season.  Coach Waldis was a captain in football and basketball and an All-State wide receiver and defensive back at DeLaSalle High School in Detroit, Michigan in the nationally renowned Detroit Catholic League Conference.  Coach Waldis played free safety at Michigan State University in the early 1990s.  Coach Waldis is the 7^th child of Richard Waldis, a renowned Detroit Police Detective from the 1970s and exceptional football and baseball talent.  Coach Waldis graduated with a Chemical Engineering Degree from Michigan State University and a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Texas, where he lead his grad school teams to both flag football and basketball championships.  Coach Waldis currently is an Executive Director of Risk Management for CME Group, the largest financial derivatives exchange in the world, where he manages hundreds of billions of dollars of capital and a global team of highly skilled personnel.

7TH GRADE NORTH & SOUTH: Buddy Zachery

Coach Buddy Zachery returns to Westport PAL Football as head coach for our grade 7 team. Coach Zachery has 16 years of prior youth coaching experience. The last ten years he has coached in the FCFL. Coach Zachery has coached multiple teams in grades 3rd through 8th His teams have won FCFL and AYF Championships and are frequently competing for Conference Championships. He has previously served as a town program President, Vice President and USA Football Player Safety Director. Coach Zachery currently has fifteen former players playing in college. Coach Zachery was a State Champion, National Scholar-Athlete Award Winner, and Conference MVP and All-State player for legendary high school coach Jude Kelly at East Catholic High School in Manchester, CT. He was a three-year varsity letter winner and a two-time All-Ivy league player for Hall of Fame Coach Carmen Cozza at Yale University.

6TH GRADE NORTH:  Sal Augeri

Coach Sal Augeri has been coaching youth sports in Westport for 15 years. He coached the current senior class (2022) to two PAL football Championships and an undefeated season. After his son aged out of PAL, he continues to dedicate his time an energy to both the football and lacrosse programs.

6TH GRADE SOUTH:  Rob Best

Coach Best is joining Westort PAL as head coach of our 6th Grade South Team. He has been coaching for 7 years across Connecticut. Through his year round skill-development program, CT Pride Football, Coach Best has worked with top athletes across the region. Coach Best currently coaches at Greenwich Country Day and is the director of Connecticut's FBU All-Star Team. His coaching career started at a young age, as he had to sit out Senior year of high school due to injuries. His passion for playing swiftly turned to coaching.

5TH GRADE NORTH & SOUTH: Tony Nashwaty

Coach Nash is returning for his 3^rd year coaching for PAL Football with previous roles as the 5^th Grade HC in 2020, and last year as a member of Coach Buddy's 6^th grade staff. Additional coaching experiences range from youth football in Massachusetts to PAL, Staples, and New York Athletic Club Rugby programs. As a former Football player turned Rugby player, he has represented the US internationally, and brings a unique understanding of the most current safe tackle methods being widely adopted across USA Rugby, and USA Football. A fifteen year resident of Westport, he has had all three sons in the PAL Football program.

4TH GRADE MODIFIED TRAVEL FLAG:  TBD 

3RD GRADE MODIFIED TRAVEL FLAG:  TBD