Legendary Mentor High School football coach readies for his final season
Steve Trivisonno has had his share of media attention these days. After all, when you’ve been the head football coach for Mentor High School and decide to retire after a wildly successful two decades, that’s newsworthy.
“I feel very blessed. I’ve had the pleasure of working with a lot of great kids and parents,” says the former health and phys-ed teacher, and coach, until the end of the 2019 season. “They made my job easy, and proud of what I’ve accomplished.”
It seems Trivisonno was destined for a career in football. “Both my father and uncle were football coaches, so it felt natural. I had good role models and mentors.” He adds that former coach, Charlie Mental, had a big influence on him, as well as his present assistant coach, Nes Janiak.
When Trivisonno graduated from Mentor High in 1981, he knew he’d return to his alma mater someday. “I wanted to come back and be a part of this great football team. My goal was to make Mentor the best we could, and I think we did it,” he says, never taking full credit.
He went on to play defensive back at Bowling Green, where he graduated in 1985. Three years later, he did, in fact, return to Mentor High as an assistant coach, and by 1997, became head coach. From there, he led his, team to 196 wins and 18 playoff appearances, thus winning several Coach of the Year awards.
Like others did for him, Trivisonno trained many who went on to career success, including the renowned quarterback for the Chicago Bears, Mitch Trubisky. In an interview with the Chicago Sun Times, Trubisky praised his former coaches. “Everything my [Mentor] coaches instilled in me growing up, I carry with me to this day.”
Trivisonno returned the praise, telling Cleveland.com, “We have a great quarterbacks coach in Nes Janiak, who developed [Trubisky] well, made him a student of the game. We were a pretty sophisticated offense for a high school team.”
Clearly, Trivisonno has been an inspiration throughout his career, and has made an impact on his former Cardinal students and staff, along with the entire district that he says is very special.
“I’ve been in Mentor since kindergarten and really love it here,” Trivisonno says. “We have a terrific school system, and just an outstanding community here.”
What will Trivisonno do after the next, his final, season is over? “I honestly don’t know,” he admits. “I’m not planning anything right now, except maybe a bit more golf.”
One thing is fairly certain. The beloved Mentor High coach, who lives here with wife, Pam, and has two grown daughters, will continue to reside in his favorite hometown.
Originally published in Mentor City Magazine 2019.
-Article by Deanna Adams | Photo by Johnny Joo