Campus Celebrities: Meet Coach Parady and Sarah Parady
Being known as the football coaches’ daughter has some pros and cons. Since 15 years old, Sarah Parady has had the lucky experience of being next to her dad on the sidelines of almost every game. She not only gets to celebrate the team’s success as a fan and friend, but as a proud daughter too. Check out more about the Parady duo!
1. How long have you coached at Marist and what is the best memory you have as a coach?
Coach: I started in 1991 as the Offense Coordinator and became the head coach in 1992. My best memory as a coach would be the day that Terrence Fede was drafted by the NFL.
2. What are the pros and cons of having your dad as the football coach?
Sarah: Its definitely awesome to be on the sideline with them and always travel with them, but some negatives would be that you are always being watched and people will make comments if they aren’t doing well. But, I would say the pros definitely out way the cons
3. What is the best part about traveling with the team?
Sarah: Being with my dad and that extra time we are able to spend together since he is so busy during the season, even though I work with the team there are days where we just see each other for a couple minutes. Also, the experience of seeing other teams around the country and how they run their football programs.
4. What is the best part about having your daughter on the sideline with you?
Coach: That we are together. Life goes by so fast and young people don’t always see that. The window is so short and when you’re coaching you don’t always get to see your family that much. We work so many hours that when she was growing up I would never get home in time for dinner before the practice schedule changed. But, being able to spend time together is the best part and even though we just pass by each other at practice, its just that she is there.
5. Can you talk a little about the team this year and the success’ you guys have had so far?
Coach: Well, we started off the season kind of rough. The first two games we were beat 17-0 and 34-7 but since then the progress we have made on all three areas offense, defense, and special teams is a credit to the players that they stayed with the coaching points given to them and stayed involved and committed to getting better.
6. Describe each other in three words.
Sarah: I would say he is humble, caring. He is very quiet, and extremely caring about all of his players.
Coach: I would say grounded for her, she has a very steady personality and has stayed grounded going through experiences of being on campus and not letting anything effect her.
7. Do either of you have any superstitions or pre-game traditions?
Sarah: For home games, I usually stay at home on Friday nights just so that I can be home with my family.
Coach: For me, I give out bubble gum to the team right before the field. I go around to each guy and offer them a piece if they want it. Its a chance for me to see them and if I feel the locker room is too loose to try and tighten it up and if its too tight to try and loosen it up. The other thing that I do if we are playing a night game, I mow the lawn at the house to get out some of the energy.
Sarah: You take naps too. If I’m home, we’re all downstairs and very quiet and cannot go up there and wake up dad. Thats how game day is in the Parady house.
8. Who would you consider to be the most improved player this year and why?
Miguel Sandoval who is a fifth year senior. He never started before this year at the line backer position and took over in the line backer position where we graduated our top four guys last year, so it was an area we were going to be very inexperienced on the field with.
9. Since you guys are from the area, do you have a favorite local restaurant?
Sarah: We don’t really go out to dinner much because my mom is always cooking. I go home a lot for dinner because its a chance to get home-cooked food.
Coach: We go to Chilli’s a lot.
Sarah: We love Chillis.
10. Who would you consider to be the team clown?
Coach: That could be a lot of guys.
Sarah: I’m going to say Mike Mangino.
Coach: Yeah, I’d say Mangino, Schneider. I’d say Cam Gibson too, he is always talking and chatting.
12. What did you do before you were the coach of Marist and what college did you go to?
Coach: I went to the University of Maine and thats where I met my wife. After I graduated, I got into coaching right away and I coached at Colby College, Hamilton College, Syracuse University, Brown University, and Northeastern University.
13. What are you most looking forward to next year?
Sarah: Hopefully getting an internship in the television industry, hopefully somewhere in New York City.
Fun Facts
Coach Parady: I’m a huge Bruce Springsteen fan and have seen over 70 shows.
Sarah Parady: I go get a coffee at Dunkin Donuts twice a day. In the morning, I get a large with extra caramel and in the afternoon I get a medium with caramel.