Photo: Neighbors of the Wasatch Back // Owen Crandall.

The basic Oxford dictionary definition of “coach” is “a person who instructs, trains, and manages a sports team.” But, I believe we all understand something much deeper within this meaning. For some, it may paint a picture of great love, a place of memory that can be reminisced upon when their high school team won a championship. For others, it may be a place of struggle with winning, where coaches are disguised in constant drills and pain, when in reality their hearts are ingrained with the achievements of their pupils. Though often dismissed, the image of a coach could be less positive, bringing greater tenderness, where the identity of success is tied to the dictating hands of an adult. Whatever visual comes to mind, these coaches have indeed had an impact, one that has lasted long into adulthood and has shaped student-athletes into harder workers, patient leaders, and simply better humans.

Meet Charlie Cusimano, a young man shaped by the impactful hands of Park City’s best coaches.

Charlie’s parents, Carey and Andy Cusimano, moved separately to Park City in the ’90s. They fell in love with each other and the active mountain culture, then settled down to start a family. Charlie, currently a senior at Park City High School (PCHS), grew to love the same town that his parents first loved. Like many in our great mountain town, Charlie found a passion within the outdoors. You can still find him skiing on a cold winter day, and as that snow flows into the rivers of Utah, expect to see him fly-fishing. Beyond the outdoors, Park City has given him sport. Not “a sport” or “a few sports”: For Charlie, he may as well have participated in all the team sports Park City has to offer.

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In early elementary school, he was competitively playing lacrosse, hockey, and baseball. As he entered high school, it became football, hockey, and track. His commitment to sport should overqualify him for PCHS’s Gold Letter Club; this prestigious award is given to students who have eight or more varsity letters and a 3.5 (or higher) GPA. Charlie will have 10 varsity letters at the end of his senior year: four in hockey, three in football, two in track, and one in baseball, along with a weighted GPA of 4.15.

When I ask Charlie why he never settled on one sport, he explains that he tends to “burn out.” The sports he started first, like lacrosse and baseball, he stopped playing first. The sports he started later, like football, are the ones in which he still has momentum. He doesn’t feel remorseful about having let go of these sports; by stopping before they became a chore, he then had the space in his schedule to find things that still brought him the same passion as the first sport did. The relinquishing hasn’t always been easy—sometimes, especially when sitting on the sidelines while his lacrosse friends make a shot, he still wishes he were there with them. At the end of the day, however, he knows that he is standing by a decision that his past self believed was right, and that he is finding his success in his own path.

During my interview with Charlie, I learn about the success he has found in sport. He repeatedly shares that it was possible because of the coaches who stood behind him. When I ask him about each coach and the impact they had, Charlie describes vivid memories within each sport, where the cumulative days of hard work paid off, or when the speeches became nostalgic. These stories in total, I believe, give a snippet of how these coaches have helped shape just one of their young athletes’ lives.

COACH MONTZINGO AND COACH BRAD

During a warm night on PCHS’s home field, Charlie was a sophomore when his team played Stansbury. He made an improbable catch right before the end zone from the 50-yard line and scored his first varsity touchdown. This memory is still fresh—he had run to the sideline, wanting to catch his breath, but he couldn’t. His teammates surrounded him, head-butting and celebrating the team’s win. This is something that any audience member could have seen, most likely even felt the emotion. But, of course, they didn’t witness the lead-up to this moment.

Coach Brad is the head custodian at PCHS and the position coach for receivers. Charlie and the rest of the receivers have all built a strong relationship with Coach Brad, whom they can tell anything to, almost as if he were just a friend. He makes the games less stressful and has become one of Charlie’s favorite coaches. The morning before that winning touchdown, Charlie had been out on the football field in math class with Mrs. Perry. Coach Brad happened to be out there and started joking around with Charlie. Pointing at a corner in the off-field, Coach Brad told Charlie to get a touchdown there as a playful “do this and be great” challenge. Later that night, in the exact same spot, Charlie ran it in. And after celebrating with his teammates, it was Coach Brad he went straight over to—to celebrate the win, the coincidence, and the connection behind the play.

The head football coach, Josh Montzingo, has played a different—but just as pivotal—role in Charlie’s life. Coach Montzingo is, in a way, the opposite of Coach Brad; he is serious and strict, and he expects a lot from his players. At the first practice, he is known for saying, “Mom’s not here. She’s not here to make you train, not here to get you to practice on time, and not here to make sure you are fueled.” From day one, Coach Montzingo places the responsibility of success on the athlete—however, he never guarantees this success. If you’re a senior, you’re never promised play time. It is sometimes sought after, and those who are best are the ones who get it. Coach Montzingo is always one to treat his players equally, no matter their background or their grade. It’s simply about the sport. His coaching extends further than the field; he talks with the athletes about how to be strong students and good men. He wants his players to succeed academically so that they have options in life beyond football. He also wants them to respect women and develop strong relationships. His coaching, though physically demanding and occasionally repetitive, has been the most influential in how Charlie sees himself after high school.

COACH LONG AND COACH ADAMEK

In first grade, Charlie took up hockey. He started a bit later than a lot of his friends, so he had to work to catch up, but by seventh grade, Charlie made the A team for his age bracket. His new coach for his seventh-, eighth-, and ninth-grade years was Matt Long. An older-school kind of coach, Matt introduced Charlie to the grinding aspects of sport. There was more conditioning, and there were more drills than ever needed, and though Charlie admits to hating it during practice, the work started to pay off. For the first time, his team was actually winning more games than losing. He particularly remembers his first overtime shootout, which gave Park City the win. This success, coupled with the diligence that Coach Long ingrained in his athletes, gave Charlie the work ethic he has carried through high school, much of which has helped him excel in his academic pursuits and in other sports.

For the high school team, Coach Mike Adamek came after Coach Long. During Charlie’s freshman year, Coach Adamek placed him as a backup on defense for the varsity Red team, which wasn’t his normal position. But Coach Adamek made it clear from the start that his position was just as important as that of any other player. Charlie has kept the same position all four years, and though he is not the creating offense, the team sees everyone as part of the win. Fostering a true sense of team, Coach Adamek has led PCHS to its third—in a row—State Championship win.

COACH DAVE

A family friend of the Cusimanos, and track coach at PCHS, is Dave Yocum. Coach Dave works with one of Park City’s largest sports teams, making it nearly impossible to spend one-on-one time with each athlete, but he always tries. For the past two years, Charlie has joined track in the spring to help with his speed for football. When Charlie competes in the 100- and 200-meter dash, Coach Dave takes the time to make sure that Charlie doesn’t fly under the radar. Even by simply knowing his name, his basic background in football, and his general goals, Charlie has felt much more welcomed by the large crowd.

COACH DEWITT

When Charlie was in sixth grade, he could still remember nearly the whole play of a baseball game. The tournament was in Evanston, Wyoming, and after a chaotic play, the team secured the win under the guidance of Coach Logan DeWitt. This was the first tournament win—after playing since kindergarten—that Charlie had ever been a part of, and it was something truly memorable. The kids on this team have become Charlie’s core group of friends to this day. It’s a connection that only sport is able to grow.

“COACH” MOM AND DAD

Aside from coaches of various sports who have made a positive impact on Charlie’s life, there have been others—for example, the ones who mentor you through a hard spot or teach you in school. Two of these “coaches of life” are Charlie’s parents. Charlie credits his dad for teaching him how the world really works, instilling in him the value of perseverance, even when you are on your own. His mom, who works at the National Ability Center, has shown Charlie a different side to living. She has taught him to be accepting of all people—because you never know what someone’s story is—and to come into every relationship with compassion and kindness. Neither of his parents has ever told Charlie to do any specific thing in life, explaining that there is no totally “right way” when it comes to living.

These coaches, parents, and teammates have undoubtedly shaped Charlie’s future. They have taught him how to appreciate life’s successes and how to build a loving team. Looking ahead, Charlie hopes to show Carey and Andy that they have been great parents. He has chosen to attend Wesleyan University, a competitive academic school in Connecticut, and plans to major in economics. Over the next four years, he will be playing D3 (NCAA Division III) football and is hoping to make it to the D3 playoffs at some point. Though he is going far afield, he still sees himself coming back to Utah or the West Coast after college, explaining that his love of the mountains, skiing, fly-fishing, and small communities won’t allow him to stay in the east for too long.

Fostered by the love of Park City, Charlie Cusimano is beyond a successful multisport athlete. He is a driven, thoughtful young man, ready to make an impression on others, like his parents, coaches, and teammates have done for him.