After 32 years of coaching football at Depew High School, Coach Mark DiRienzo is stepping down as the Wildcat’s Head Football Coach.
Over his career DiRienzo has coached modified, junior varsity, served as assistant varsity coach and spent the last seven seasons as the Wildcats head football coach.
Coach DiRienzo entered Depew Schools as a sixth grade transfer student from St. Augustine’s School located at 85 Manitou Street, where the present day Depew Police Station operates. He started playing football in ninth grade, finishing his last two years playing for the Western New York Football Hall of Fame Coach Frank Constantino. DiRienzo earned First Team Division All-Star and 5th Team All-State honors.
After high school, Coach DiRienzo attended University of Buffalo and Buffalo State College graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history in 1987.
After graduation from college, DiRienzo joined the United States Army serving in Germany for three years. As an army specialist, Coach DiRienzo served as an Air Defense Operations and Intelligence Analyst training soldiers to correctly identify Soviet aircraft. After his enlistment in the Army ended Coach DiRienzo received his Social Studies 7-12 teaching certification and was hired as a teacher at Depew Schools in 1995.
Coach DiRienzo wanted to teach history and coach football in high school and was excited when the opportunity emerged at Depew. He started coaching football in 1993 teaching strategy of the game, but also preparation, resilience and competitiveness. He was excited to coach football at his alma mater where he felt he could pass along the deep tradition of Depew football to all his players which he learned from Coach Constantino.
Through Coach DiRienzo’s years of participation in the football program, there have been so many memories as a player, coach and parent. Mentoring former players into becoming amazing young educators and coaches is by far top of the list. Taking the players to the state semi-finals in 2013 alongside Coach Brian Wilson was one for the books. One advantage of teaching at Depew was watching both his children grow as students in the Depew School District and coaching his son Dante for two years. Coach DiRienzo was also named the Class C Central Division Coach of the year in 2020.
“I love coaching football at Depew because of its rich tradition which the players and community support. I know I have influenced kids in a positive way by instilling a work ethic and helping prepare them for life outside Depew High School," Coach DiRienzo (AKA POPS) said. "Deciding to leave the Wildcats as the Head Football Coach has been a hard decision. It has been a part of mine and my family’s life for so long. My wife Leah would come to games carting the kids in a double stroller, then as the kids got older my son Dante and his friends became ball boys and later Wildcat players themselves. My daughter Natalia would make signs with her friends supporting the players. Their support and understanding of me missing some of their activities has meant the world to me. Thank you to the Depew families for allowing me to coach and mentor your sons. The wins and losses will fade away, the friendships and memories will last a lifetime!!!”
Coach Mark DiRienzo: “ Once a Wildcat Always A Wildcat”