2025 Interview with Ty Harper former head coach CSP (NY.)

 

Ty Harper

CSP (NY) 

Former Head Coach, OC, DLine Coach

College: St. John Fisher (D3, New York)

What was the toughest part of the 2024 season?

The hardest part of the ‘24 season was that it ended. We had so many tremendous kids, many of whom I have known since they were in 4th grade. When you have to say goodbye to those kids, and you realize that you’ll never be at practice with them again, it’s really tough.

Obviously, winning another state title was the high mark of the season. With that said, what were some of your favorite moments during the season?

There were many. We do a lot in the offseason to prepare ourselves, and this year we participated in the State 7-on-7 tournament at SUNY Cortland in July. A lot of the guys and their families stayed at a hotel out there, and it was a great experience—we won the tournament, the kids had a great time, and we made friends with a local couple that ended up following us throughout the season and drove across the state to watch us play in the playoffs. Winning at Highmark is always a great feeling—I love seeing the kids’ faces when we walk down that tunnel onto the field. Winning in the state semifinals was satisfying as well, after the way our season ended in 2023.

What has been the toughest aspect in coaching a co-op team?

Logistics and communication. There are so many moving parts. No one sees that part of it. Dealing with three transportation departments and three different administrations is difficult. It takes a lot of patience, and sometimes you have to bite your tongue in the best interest of the program. 

What is the most enjoyable part of coaching a co-op team?

The relationships that you form with the players and the coaches. People always ask how we were able to accomplish what we did. There really isn’t a secret formula. We genuinely loved one another, and we worked hard every day in practice. When you put that much effort into preparing and don’t want to let one another down, you are capable of doing special things.

Looking just at the 2025 class, what do you think they did better than other classes you had in years you won the state title?

All of those championship teams were so special for various reasons. I would say that this year’s group was probably the closest that we’ve had. They’ve all been playing together for so long—their chemistry and trust in one another were unlike anything we’ve ever had. They were an extremely gifted bunch, but I think what set them apart was the bond that they had with one another.

If you could make one change when it comes to New York high school football, what would it be, along with the reason why?

I wish that there was uniformity across the state. For example, Section VI keeps private schools separate from public schools in the playoffs, but in most other sections, private schools are allowed to participate in the public school playoffs. That has never made sense to me. I feel like there should be a public school state champion and a private school state champion, and maybe those two could play one another at the very end of the season. This year in AA (the largest classification in New York State), two private schools played for the public high school state championship. It was an awesome game, but I’m not sure how that is equitable when public schools can’t recruit. Another thing that I would change would be the way merged programs are handled differently, depending on the section. Section VI has a “dominance policy,” which has now bumped CSP up a classification twice (once for the COVID spring season of 2021 and now for 2025). I have no problem with the idea, but other sections don’t have that policy, and it’s certainly not enforced across other sports. It’s frustrating when some programs are punished for doing things the right way and achieving success, and it’s not a uniform policy.

Looking back at practice number one for the 2024 season to the end of the season, is there a player or two that shocked you with how much they grew as a player?

I wouldn’t necessarily say that I was shocked, but we had some guys contribute in huge ways that maybe we didn’t totally foresee. Our right tackle was a junior named Troy Chambers. He came into camp as a backup tight end (and Alex Barmore—our starting tight end—is a 1st Team All State guy/going to play at a high level in college). We had a couple of guys banged up, and two days before our opener against defending Class C State Champion Waverly, we asked Troy if he was interested in trying to play tackle. We threw him into the fire against a great Waverly team, and he battled. He ended up making 2nd Team All-League. I’ve always said that what we’ve accomplished is in large part due to the talents, unselfishness, and coachability of our players. Troy is a great example of that from this year’s team.

I have been told a good coach can learn something new each year. What did you learn from this season that would make you a better coach?

That’s 100% true. I certainly try to get better every year. My college coach, Paul Vosburgh, would always tell us that every day you’re either getting better or getting worse, and that stuck with me. I love going to football clinics in the offseason and hearing from other coaches. The best football coaches steal ideas from other good coaches. This past year, we put in an RPO that I learned from Mike Sirianni, who is the head coach at Washington & Jefferson. I listened to him speak in Pittsburgh last winter and thought that it would be a really good addition to what we already do on offense, given the ability level of our skill kids. 

How hard was the decision to step down from not only coaching but being the head coach of CSP?

Leaving CSP and Sherman Central School was the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make. I love all three of those communities more than I can adequately express with words. At the end of the day, family is the most important thing in life. My wife Lauren is the best. I wouldn’t be able to run a program the right way if she weren’t so supportive. I help out coaching my oldest son’s youth football team, and my twins are playing flag football now. I just don’t want to miss any of their games—that’s a terrible feeling as a dad.

That said, I still think I have a lot left in the tank as a football coach. If the opportunity to continue coaching fits in with my kids’ schedules, I’d absolutely be open to it.

How did you go about telling the team, and what was their reaction?

I felt a lot of anxiety about breaking the news to our players and their families at our banquet on January 12th. I was prepared for the kids and their parents to be angry and frustrated with me, but they were incredibly understanding. Again, I think that’s a large piece of what has made our program successful. There is a genuine love for one another, and not one person at that banquet had anything negative to say. They understood that I was doing what was best for my family. There were a lot of hugs and tears. I’m just so grateful that I was fortunate enough to go to work for these families the past 10 years. I want the best for all of them, long after I’m gone.

If asked, what advice would you give to the next head coach for CSP?

Be ready for all of the things that come with the job that have nothing to do with what happens on the field. Surround yourself with competent, hardworking people and delegate responsibilities accordingly. This is a year-round job, and it takes what it takes to do it the right way.

Will you take in any of the CSP games this coming season?

I will be keeping a close eye on CSP this season and for years to come. I will sincerely always love this program, and I want them to continue to be successful. There are a lot of talented kids coming back next year. People are going to focus on the tremendous players that are graduating, but we got a lot of contributions from underclassmen, and our JV team went undefeated. I’m rooting for them, always.

Who is your favorite athlete?

Michael Jordan. But Josh Allen is my favorite football player. He’s Superman.

What is the one sport you cannot watch on TV?

Soccer. I’d rather watch paint dry. 

What is your favorite current TV show?

I’ll re-watch season 1 of True Detective at least once a year. Currently, my wife and I are watching American Primeval on Netflix, and I’d highly recommend it, especially if you’re into westerns or you’re a history nerd (which I am).

 

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