Coach's Role in All-Star Game is 'Feather in the Cap' of Dakota Football

For football coach Mike Giannone, being named head coach for this year’s all-star game is an honor he feels should be shared equally, if not more so, with the entire .

“In the beginning, no one knew where Dakota was–they didn’t know if it was North or South Dakota–but now they realize where we are and I think we’ve earned a little bit of respect through what our kids have accomplished here,” Giannone said. “It’s an extremely large honor and a definite feather in the cap of our program.”

In his 14 years with the Cougars, Giannone has led the team to countless victories, including back-to-back Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 1 state championships in 2006 and 2007. As a head coach, he also boasts a career record of 120-42.

It was a combination of these personal achievements and success of his program that led the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association to select Giannone to lead the east team in this year's 32nd East-West All-Star Game. The MHSFCA also named Spring Lake High School coach Jerry Rabideau as Giannone’s counterpart in the west.

"We feel privileged to have Mike as our varsity coach and the leader of our football program, and the same reasons we feel privileged to have him as a coach, were the reasons he was selected as the head coach of the all-star game," said Mike Fusco, Dakota athletic director. "I'm sure he'll do a fantastic job."

Whether or not one of Giannone’s players will join him at the all-star level has yet to be determined, as the voting to fill the 88 spots available for all-star players has not been completed.

But Giannone is keeping his fingers crossed.

Of the 88 high school players selected, Giannone and his offensive coordinator Brad Morris will oversee 44 on the east team.

“It’ll be kind of funny to coach players I’ve coached against during the season,” Giannone said. “I’m not going to do anything different than when I coach our own kids, but I will be interested to see how the kids respond to our coaching styles and techniques.”

With each of the 44 players hailing from different high schools, Giannone is relying on the players’ own all-star skills and Dakota’s offensive strategy to build a winning team during the pre-game practices.

“I only have them for a week, then most of these kids will go on to play college football,” Giannone said. “I want to challenge them, but not discourage them. I don’t know them or their personalities, or whether I can motivate them, but most of these guys are coming motivated. They feel the same way I do. It’s an honor for them, too.”

The all-star game is scheduled for June 30 at Kelly-Shorts Stadium on the campus of Central Michigan University.