Big 33 honor is Annville-Cleona coach Matt Gingrich’s reward for giving back

Some of Matt Gingrich’s most rewarding experiences as a coach involve seeing players succeed as adults, fostering long-term relationships, and passing along traditional values.

Now, for as humble as he is, Gingrich appreciates affirmation and validation just as much as the next guy. So, it is more than just a little ironic – as well as appropriate – that his team-oriented, selfless approach has earned him one of the most prestigious personal honors that can be bestowed upon a head football coach in Pennsylvania.

“If you had to rank things, none of these personal awards mean anything compared to players developing into men and women,” said Gingrich, who’s been the head football coach at Annville-Cleona for 11 seasons. “When I see them, they always come up to me and give me a hug. That right there is better than anything I can get. A lot of these kids now are lifelong friends.”

Recently, it was announced that Gingrich was selected to coach in this year’s Big 33 Football Classic, the Super Bowl of High School all-star football games. Gingrich, who will serve as an assistant coach for the contest pitting the best scholastic players from Pennsylvania against their counterparts from Maryland, was one of eight Keystone State coaches chosen, each representing a different district in Pennsylvania.

“You don’t ask to coach in it. You get invited,” said Gingrich. “It is quite an honor. I didn’t think it would ever happen. As a kid growing up in Annville, I always went to the Big 33 game. I was never good enough as a player to play in it, and to coach in it was something I never thought about.”

The 69^th edition of the annual Big 33 Football Classic will be contested at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 24, at Cumberland Valley High School’s Chapman Field, 6746 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg. More than an all-star high school football game, the Big 33 Football Classic has evolved into a celebration of the sport in Pennsylvania, featuring a series of events during the week leading up to the game.

In addition to pre-game practices, Gingrich will be involved with a youth clinic and the Big 33’s wildly successful “Big Buddies” program, which connects players with individuals with disabilities. Before then, Gingrich will participate in a Big 33 ceremony at the state capital in Harrisburg on March 16 and full-day practices at Cumberland Valley in late April.

“I was thinking it was going to be two weekends, play the game and get out of there,” said Gingrich. “This is definitely more involved, and everyone is like, ‘You’ve got to beat Maryland, you’ve got to beat Maryland.’ They put a lot of things into it to make it a really cool event.”

Gingrich was nominated to coach in the Big 33 Classic and represent District Three by Manheim Township head coach and Cedar Crest graduate Mark Evans, who is active in the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association. Gingrich is one of only a few – if not the first ever – Lebanon County head coaches to be selected to coach in the game.

In addition, Gingrich is Lebanon County scholastic football’s reigning “coach of the year.”

“If you would’ve ever told me I was going to get this opportunity, I would’ve laughed at you,” said Gingrich, who serves as dean of students at ACHS. “This is probably one of the biggest honors of my life, definitely of my coaching career. This game has given me everything. Everything I do is related to playing the game or learning from my coaches.”

Under Gingrich’s guidance, the Annville-Cleona has become a perennial contender for District Three and Lancaster-Lebanon section titles. The Dutchmen have realized their success on the gridiron through an emphasis on fundamentals, a focus on community and in spite of a youth program that has recently experienced participation woes.

“My dad died when I was 8, and after that there was always a coach in my life who kept me on the right track,” said Gingrich. “I always looked up to those guys because they loved me enough to be hard on me. They were just part of our lives, and then my brother (Dave) got into teaching and coaching. People always gave me so much of their lives that I felt I owed something to people moving forward. I always thought it was more about what you could give back. That’s why I became a coach.

“Coaches play different roles for different kids. Some of our kids don’t have parents. For some of them, I’m their only influence. On the other hand, we have kids who have strong parents, and my influence is in athletics and career paths. It can be impactful.”

It’s that pursuit of rewards – not awards – that motivates Gingrich and keeps him going. That and a fire burning in the belly of an aging body.

“My body has abandoned me, so I can’t do anything physical,” said Gingrich. “Friday nights are still competitive, and they get the juices flowing. I’m still trying to compete. One of my favorite things now is going to a wedding of one of my former players. There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing 30-year-old guys with wives and families. We do have a lot of guys come to practice and standing on the sidelines (during games). We do have a couple of guys coaching with us who used to be players.

“It’s about seeing these kids get to be successful. When you get to see them happy and successful, that’s the big payoff. I’m getting closer to the end of my career. I’m very appreciative of this whole ride. The days are long, but the years are short.”