WEST PITTSTON – The Greater Pittston Person of the Year Award has been woven into the fabric of the community since 2001 when Pittston City Mayor Michael Lombardo was named the very first recipient.
Over the years, those chosen have been leaders in Greater Pittston such as Richie Kossuth (2010), The Joyce family (2006), Lori Nocito (2001), Peggy Burke (2008) and, last year, Santa Claus himself, Anthony Marranca.
For only the second time in 19 years and not since Paralympic skier Stephanie Jallen was selected in 2013, a sports figure has been chosen to receive the award.
Wyoming Area football head coach Randy Spencer has been named the 2019 Greater Pittston Person of the Year by the Sunday Dispatch.
“I was very surprised and extremely honored when I got the word of the award,” Spencer said. “The award has been given to some outstanding individuals that have done so much in terms of, not just personal accomplishments, but also in terms of how they impacted the Greater Pittston community and to be included in that company is an honor and extremely humbling.”
The Warriors, led by Spencer and his staff, are the current 2019 3A football state champions, having defeated Central Valley, 21-14, in an epic comeback victory that allowed them to grab the school’s only state title in any sport in its 53-year history.
Spencer, 49, and a 1988 graduate of Wyoming Area, played his football career under then-head coach Paul Marranca, a man Spencer calls his mentor. After college, he accepted a coaching position under Marranca where he coached 16 years before accepting the top job when Marranca stepped down. Spencer is in his 12th year as head coach.
“I’ve been a fan of this team since I was 10 years old in the stands when I watched the 1980 team beat Pottsville in what was basically a state championship game,” Spencer said. “To be able to play in our program in high school, then to become a coach and have a long-standing coaching career has been rewarding.”
The 2019 season did not start off as planned for Spencer when what he calls “a cardiac event” occurred on July 12. Spencer eventually had corrective surgery, forcing him to coach from the press box for the first three games of the season.
“The overall recovery was a three-month period,” Spencer explained. “In terms of being on the sideline or around contact, I wasn’t cleared to be on the field until week three. I was engaged and I could do a lot of what I could do but, at the same time, there was so much more responsibility on our staff.”
Spencer is grateful to have an understanding staff that was well versed in the program he instituted.
“Our coaches did such a tremendous job; we didn’t miss a beat and the kids were well prepared as they had ever been and when I was able to reengage on week four of the season. It was a very solid place to work from,” added Spencer. “It was one moment at a time; it’s one day at a time from there and what was significant was my feelings didn’t change. I’ve always felt the same way after my procedure as I did before. It was all so humbling.”
Spencer and his staff haven’t been all about football as getting members of the team involved in the community has been essential.
“Community involvement has always been a part of our program,” Spencer said. “We’ve had such great support from the community with our program. We feel being a part of our program is to be connected or responsive to our community, so whether it’s our school community or our town, we seek opportunities to help or support the community.”
Spencer noted in 2011, the year of the flood that devastated the borough of West Pittston, the homes of many of his players were flooded.
“We encouraged our players to do whatever they needed to do with their own families first and then did what we could to respond to anybody that reached out to us and we tried to reach out to others, as well, to help. It was a very challenging time,” Spencer said.
For Spencer, winning a state championship game wasn’t all about the winning.
“It’s surreal, but it’s not the fact that you won a game, it’s the fact on how historic it is and what it means to the program in terms of validating the program,” Spencer said.
If there’s one thing Spencer knows, the football program has had the backing of the community, former coaches and players and a great football alumni association led by Lou “Bikes” Ciampi. Spencer has leaned on Ciampi over the years for support, both on and off the field.
“So many have contributed so much,” Spencer said. “Every day, the fact the alumni association exists and supports our program has been built to where it’s tradition rich, it’s genuinely a part of our school and our community.”
Spencer feels fortunate in all aspects of his career in being a longstanding coach, but also in his social service career where he supports families, at-risk youth and individuals with disabilities.
“It’s always been a big part of my life in terms of working with people and supporting people,” he said.
Spencer loves the game of football, but admits he has a great support system in his significant other of 12 years, Tracey Roche.
“I couldn’t love her more,” he said. “She’s been my rock through the whole thing (2019 cardiac event) and she was basically Dr. Tracey. She is the bedrock of my life and Paris, my four-legged daughter, she’s my child that doesn’t go home every day. I have lots of kids but they go home every day.
“I also want to thank my mother, Bonnie Spencer, for being a tremendous role model in my life.”
