1st Place, Sports News Story
2023-24, Division 2, News Writing
By Joe Powers
Portrait
East Lansing HS
Varsity football coach, Bill Feraco, is now in his 20th season at the helm of the football team. Feraco began his career at East Lansing in 2000, as an assistant coach to Jeff Smith. After Smith retired in 2003, Feraco took over the head coach role. Given Smith’s success, Feraco was left with big shoes to fill. He had to create his own style of coaching while also taking inspiration from the previous coach.
“You certainly want to keep some of the positive things that worked previously,” Feraco said “But you do want to build it according to what you want to do.”
Feraco is liked by players for his flexibility and willingness to learn. Tommy Stout (11) is a leader on the team as both a captain and starting center. Stout thinks that Feraco wants to learn with the team and makes changes as they need to happen.
“I think he’s a really good coach,” Stout said. “He’s definitely one of the smartest people I’ve ever met.” Feraco’s time playing for Hall of Fame coach Duffy Daughtery at MSU very deeply inspired Feraco’s current coaching method. Daughtery’s method of always learning while teaching at the same time has led Feraco to make sure that he is surrounded by those to learn from as to advise his players better.
“[Daughtery] surrounded himself with great teachers on his staff and I think that we’ve been able to sustain that consistency,” Feraco said.
Another thing that makes Feraco well-liked is his supportiveness. Whenever a player is in uncharted waters, Feraco is always there to help them. Jace Clarizio (11) is a running back whose performance against Dewitt in 2022 and continued success throughout the year was important to the team.
For Clarizio good coaching was a necessity in order to make sure he could continue to play as well as he had been. Feraco’s support, alongside Clarizio’s abilities made him one of several breakout players of the 2022 season.
“I feel like [Feraco will] support you and always be on your side,” Clarizio said.
Across the past 20 years of East Lansing football Feraco has seen ups and downs, going overall 184-157 for his entire career. Even with his traditional methodology, he has remained on the cutting edge of high school football in the Lansing area. So far this season Feraco has been able to have his team adapt to improve off of starting 0-2 to end up on top of the CAAC blue by week seven.
“Anytime you stay with the status quo or you’re fixed in your approach to things,” Feraco said. “Things [can’t] change in a positive way.”
NW-21. Sports News Story
Sports news stories may include general sports news or sports events and are constructed in news style.
Judging Criteria
- Lead features interesting, important angle
- Uses colorful, lively style
- Avoids cliches, editorializing
- Displays knowledge of sports; uses understandable terms
- Shows research/interviewing skills; emphasizes how & why
- Effective use of facts/quotes
- Proper diction/grammar; use of the third person
- Unity/coherence