Apr 12, 2016 3 min read

Mike Bosnic spends countless hours each summer and fall watching game film to track an opponent’s strengths and weaknesses. His role as Washington High School’s football coach requires constant studying and preparation, but before he gets ready for the Prexies’ 2016 season, he’ll be focused on a new task outside of the Xs and Os.

Bosnic, who has been the Prexies’ varsity football coach for the past seven seasons, will be learning scheduling, protocol for hosting events and everything else in between after he was unanimously approved as the high school’s next athletic director at a school board meeting Monday night. He replaces Joe Nicolella, who decided to step away from the position after seven years.

“I’m really excited about it,” the 38-year-old Bosnic said. “I’m anxious to get started. Knowing how special our kids and coaches are, this is something I was definitely interested in. There’s a great tradition of athletics here and I think athletics and extracurricular activities are really important in our community. It’s something we can use to improve and drive our academics.” Bosnic is 91-43 in 13 seasons as a head football coach, including 59-18 at Wash High in seven seasons with a trip to the WPIAL Class AA championship game in 2012 and three conference titles. He was hired by the district to replace Bill Britton in 2009 after serving as the head coach at Carmichaels for six seasons. Bosnic has led his teams to the WPIAL playoffs in 12 of his 13 seasons as a head coach, and has run the school’s Academically Customized Education program for the past three years.

During his time at Wash High, the Prexies have consistently produced athletes who went on to play collegiately, including 10 at the Division I level. He was rehired as the school’s football coach at a board meeting last month.

“We’re going to miss the wonderful service Joe Nicolella gave the district,” Dr. Roberta DiLorenzo, the district’s superintendent, said. ” He was an incredible teacher and later, an athletic director. The role has become a far more complex position than it was years ago, but we are confident we picked the right person. Mike works long and hard to benefit the students and he’ll continue to do so in this new role.”

Becoming an athletic director was never in the plan for Bosnic, who graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2002, where he was an offensive lineman. Instead, his plan was to teach and coach. As his career progressed, he began thinking about a position as an administrator, any opportunity to keep him around athletics. Bosnic grew up around sports with his father, Mike Sr., serving as a football coach at Laurel Highlands and Albert Gallatin. Plus, he and his two brothers earned Division I scholarships. Their sister was even a majorette in the band. Bosnic spent many nights at a football field or in the stands of a gymnasium, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

A 1997 graduate of Albert Gallatin High School, Bosnic has not seen a challenge quite like the one lying ahead, but like his first coaching job at Carmichaels, Bosnic is anxious to learn.

“Athletics have always been an important part of my life,” Bosnic said. “I have a lot to learn and take in. I officially start July 1, but I have a lot to do and plenty of studying to do before then. It will be a big challenge, but I’m definitely ready and excited for it.”