Mike Moriarty

Mike Moriarty

Mike Moriarty

Wednesday December 15, 2010

Cielensky left his mark at Charleston Catholic

by From staff reports

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- There have not been many - if any - men in the Kanawha Valley with a longer connection to local high school athletics than Joe Cielensky.

Cielensky, who coached thousands of area athletes in more than four decades then spent another 36 years as a football and basketball official died Tuesday in Charleston. The Nemacolin, Pa., native was 76.

Cielensky coached football, basketball, baseball, tennis and swimming at Charleston Catholic High, and also served as the Irish athletic director.

"I can't say enough about Joe, to be honest with you," said the retired Frank Scagnelli, 67, who succeeded Cielensky as Catholic's boys basketball coach in 1974-75. "I came there at 1968 at CC, and he was he was assistant football and boys basketball coach. Everything I learned, I learned from Joe.

"After my second or third year, I became his assistant on basketball. Joe was just a super guy to work for. I was really surprised he allowed me to do as much as he did. He allowed me to learn. He let me make my own mistakes. He didn't try to sit on me. When I made a mistake, he told me what I did.

"He did not have an ego. He wasn't threatened by me. I was in awe of him because of the way he handled it. He was a disciplined coach. He loved basketball, but he was a football man."

Cielensky came to Catholic after graduation at Morris Harvey College, where Cielensky was invited to tryout by famed Coach Eddie King after leading his Cumberland Township high school team in Carmichaels, Pa., to back-to-back unbeaten seasons.

Cielensky played football and basketball in college. He was a quarterback on some of MHC's last teams before the school dropped the sport after the 1956 season. He was part of the 1954 Golden Eagle team that lost the final Cigar Bowl to host Tampa.

Cielensky, hired at Catholic in the summer of 1958, became only the second assistant football coach in CCHS history. He was an assistant to Mickey McDade when Catholic's football team ran through three consecutive undefeated seasons (1962, '63, '64). He succeeded McDade and coached the Irish to a 21-21 record from 1970-73.

In his last season at the school (1973-74), Cielensky guided the Irish to state Catholic championships in both football and basketball. He took CCHS to five state Catholic titles in basketball, including four in a row.

In nine seasons, Cielensky's Irish hoop teams were 117-94.

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File photo

Former Charleston Catholic basketball Coach Joe Cielensky had a record of 117-94 during his nine seasons with the Irish.

 

 

"There was no question he was something else," Scagnelli said of Cielensky. "There's no question if it hadn't been for him I wouldn't have accomplished what I accomplished in basketball. The biggest thing I learned was discipline was for myself and my team.

"People don't understand, he took me in and took me in the right way. He gave me a chance. He gave me the opportunity to scout. Sometimes I went with him when he officiated and watched the other teams play.

"I went to Clarksburg Notre Dame and scouted them, he trusted me, trusted my judgment. You don't see that anymore. I don't know if you see the trust anymore. He was the head coach, I knew that, he knew that, everybody knew that, but he let me do my thing and become involved so that I could learn. I just appreciated him so much."

After 16 years, Cielensky left Catholic in '74 for St. Albans High, succeeding Sam LeRose as football coach. The Red Dragons were 20-20 in Cielensky's four seasons.

He then changed ranks, moving to Clendenin Junior High, where Cielensky, at various times, coached football, girls basketball and track and field until his retirement in 1999.

He officiated high school football and basketball and college football over 36 years, and was a member of the Kanawha Valley Football Officials Association and the Southern Board of Basketball Officials.

In 1999, Cielensky was presented the Distinguished Service Award by the West VirginiaAthletic Directors Association. More than 30 of his Charleston Catholic athletes went on to play major college sports.

Cielensky is survived by his wife, Shirley and three daughters, two sisters and seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

A funeral service for Cielensky will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Sacred Heart co-Cathedral, with burial in mount Olivet Cemetery in Charleston. Visitation is scheduled from 6-8 p.m. Friday at Snodgrass Funeral Home in South Charleston.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Charleston Catholic High School, 1033 Virginia St., Charleston 25301.

 

 

 

Joe Scheirman

Pat, Linda, John, & Felix,

  When I saw Charles Smolder last week, we looked at some of the reunion information, and he said his cousin, David O’Dell is not deceased.  I believe he said he is living in NC.  Maybe Charlie can give you more info.   

Joe S.

Linda Harrick (Sutton)

Thanks,  He did post it on facebook.  I'll try to get details.