Junko named Upper St. Clair football coach
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Mike Junko settles into his new digs as the Upper St. Clair head football coach replacing Jim Render, who retired after 40 seasons at the helm.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Mike Junko
Less than two weeks after its old voice was silenced, Upper St. Clair hired one of its own to make the Panthers roar again on the gridiron.
During a school board meeting on Jan. 14, the district approved Mike Junko, a 1992 USC graduate, as the new football coach, replacing Jim Render, who retired Jan. 3 at age 76.
“I could not be happier having Mike Junko as the new head football coach for Upper St. Clair,” athletic director Kevin Deitrick said. “Mike is a life-long educator with a vast amount of football experience and a great role model for our kids.”
Junko indeed brings a wealth of knowledge to the program.
For starters, he played football at USC but also excelled on the school’s only WPIAL baseball championship club. He quarterbacked the Zips of Akron, playing under the renowned Gerry Faust. Upon graduation, he took a teaching position at Mt. Lebanon and served 11 seasons as an assistant under Chris Haering, who is now coaching at D1 Wisconsin after a stint at Pitt, and former Lebo head coach Mike Melnyk. For the past two seasons, the 44-year-old father of two has assisted Render while also teaching social studies.
Junko is also the son of Bob Junko who was a longtime Pitt assistant football coach before taking on the title of director of player development and high school relations for the university.
“I have had the good fortune to play for two great legends from Ohio,” Junko said referring to Render, who is the winningest coach in the WPIAL with 406 victories, and Faust. “My dad has been there throughout my entire career. I have always been surrounded by great coaches. Each one imparted wisdom upon me that I will use going forward.”
The tradition-of winning 23 conference championships, five WPIAL titles and two state banners-that Render established, Junko holds dearest.
“Coach Render held the kids to the highest standard each and every day and he was focused on making sure he was doing what was best for the program. If we do that, then we will serve the program well and the results will take care of themselves,” Junko said.
“That’s the biggest thing I learned from Coach Render and hope to implement. I think it is important for our next generation to understand the proud tradition at USC and what makes us a unique place. I don’t want us to lose that. Having been a player in the program I think I can deliver that message to the kids. But I also want to establish my own culture. I want to honor the past and look to the future with anticipation and excitement.”
Thrilling times are ahead for USC football as Junko intends to leave his fingerprint on the program by transitioning to a spread offense. He noted he “cut his teeth” on such an attack from being an offensive coordinator at Mt. Lebanon. And, almost immediately, fans will notice the change that the no-huddle offense will bring to USC.
“It’s going to be a uptempo,” Junko said. “A high-energy experience.”
Using “energy” and “emotion” as words to describe himself, Junko has already laid the groundwork for the 2019 season. He’s meeting with the booster club and parents and running the weight room workouts, and putting together a coaching staff to support him as well as compiling a calendar list of things to do.
One person he is having little trouble convincing about his approach and outline is he son, Ryan Junko, a junior wide receiver. The pair have grown up on football as Ryan served as a ball boy when Junko coached at Mt. Lebanon.
“We’ve spent a lifetime together on the football field in our roles as father and son as well as coach and player,” said Junko, who also has a daughter, Bryn. “We know what to expect from each other.”
Noting that Render also coached two of his sons, J.T. and Eric, Junko said that he learned from his former skipper how to handle his similar situation.
“The big thing you need to keep an eye toward is that rules aren’t different from anybody. Expectations are the same for a son as any other player. As long as that is the focus. I think it’s not a problem,” said Junko, who also noted that Render was good for his son and was someone Ryan enjoyed playing for.
Being able to bring his wife, Misty, and family back home to USC and coaching his alma mater are more than what Junko could have ever asked for and surely not a problem.
“I’m so looking forward to it. To be in a role where I can help kids in my community and to be back at USC is a dream come true.”