TSCT Football Head Coach Retires After 11 Seasons

11.09.18 | Athletics

Lancaster, PA – Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology football head coach, Joe Wysock, retires after two stints as a Football Coach for the Bulldogs including the last 19 years where he was a head coach for 11 seasons.

Coach Joe Wysock spent 11 seasons as head coach for Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology Bulldogs. Coach Wysock began his coaching career at Stevens in the mid-1980s as an Offensive Line coach for Head Coach George Burke.

“Beginning with George Burke in 1982 at Stevens and ending this year at Stevens has been a pleasure. The coaches, players, faculty and administration at Stevens and every other place I’ve coached have been a real inspiration to me,” said Coach Wysock. “I’ll always remember all the great experiences and a few of the tough times you manage to rise above during 34 years of coaching. That’s what made coaching football fun and so worthwhile. Six years ago I felt hesitant about retiring, but somehow you know when it’s time.  I have no regrets; it’s time.”

Wysock coached at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology while earning his teaching certification at Millersville University. Upon receiving his certification, Wysock taught English at Caesar Rodney High School in Dover, DE. He coached football there until an Offensive Line Coach position opened at Delaware State University under Head Coach Bill Collick.

After Delaware State beat Howard University for the MEAC Conference Championship, Wysock accepted the Offensive Line job at Wesley College under Head Coach Tim Keating. Keating and his staff inherited a 0-24 team; however, they were able to turn things around and produced a winning season that first year. Wysock then accepted a teaching and coaching position at Hempfield High School in Lancaster County where, in seven seasons as the Offensive Line Coach under Jack Yohe,  the Black knights won four section I Championships. Subsequently, Wysock accepted a position as the Offensive Coordinator and Quarterback Coach at Manheim Township High School under Head Coach Mike Vertucci for two years.

In 1999, Coach Wysock returned for his second stint at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology as Offensive Coordinator for Ron Zangari. Although Stevens was 0-10 on 1998, the teams with Wysock coaching in some capacity have not had a losing season since that year. Also since 1999, the Bulldogs have won or shared eight Seaboard Conference Championships including the championship for the 2010 and 2011 seasons, the team’s first back to back championships. His son Justin was an offensive guard on the 2013 championship team when Wysock returned after a year absence.

Coach Wysock is originally from Lancaster where he played for Bobby King and Jack Cassebaum at J.P. McCaskey High School. In his senior year, Coach Wysock was Team Captain, Most Valuable Defensive Player as a linebacker, and played in the Lancaster County All Star Game for Coach A. Brooks and is now a member of the McCaskey Hall of Fame. Upon graduation from McCaskey, he earned a full athletic scholarship to the University of Miami as an Offensive Guard for Pete Elliot. In 1975, he played in the All-American Bowl in Tampa, Florida, and the Blue-Grey game in Montgomery, Alabama. He was a fifth round draft choice of the New York Jets 1975 but retired in 1977 after dislocating his right knee and having three subsequent operations.

Coach Wysock was inducted into the Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology’s Hall of Fame in 2012.

“Coach has been an extremely valuable member of the Stevens family for a long time,” said Dr. Christopher Metzler, Dean of Student Services and Athletic Director, “as a recruiter, coach, and mentor to our student athletes he has played a major role in the success of the athletes at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology. It will be hard to replace a person who dedicated so much time and energy to the program. We are just grateful for all that he has done for the athletic program.”

Coach Wysock along with his wife Gayle is a resident of Lancaster and has four children; Cristina, Joey, Justin, and Emily. Joey (Joe the 3^rd) is a graduate of Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology where he also played football and basketball.