MATT VOLZ
Assistant Sports Editor
Western New York is headed to the Super Bowl. But not in the way we might have predicted four months ago.
On Sunday, the Philadelphia Eagles will play for the Lombardi Trophy, with Jamestown native Nick Sirianni at the helm. Sirianni, a 1999 graduate of Southwestern Central, was hired to lead the Eagles in 2021 despite having no previous experience as a head coach at any level.
But some always knew he had a quality of leadership, especially the man who recruited him from high school years ago.
“He was a real leader on the team… an emotional, exciting player,” said Larry Kehres, Sirianni’s coach at the University of Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio.
As the third Sirianni brother to come up through the school, Kehres talked about how the recruiting process for a young Nick was a much lesser task than most.
“Mike and Jay were first … we got to know him as the little brother at all the football games, so it made recruiting [him] a lot easier,” Kehres said.
Kehres also noted how Sirianni’s upbringing molded him into the person he is today.
“Successful people are products of their parents, and it’s true with those three men,” Kehres said about Sirianni and his brothers.
Jay Sirianni, Nick’s brother, still coaches and teaches at Southwestern. He also attributed the Eagles coach’s successes to their upbringing in Chautauqua County.
“People remember Nick as a kid who came out of Southwestern, and he remembers where he’s from,” Jay Sirianni said. “He’s genuine.”
He also noted how his brother still carries a significant amount of connection to his old high school and community.
“If you watch some of his press conferences, he’ll be up there wearing Southwestern stuff.”
As part of that local connection, too, Sirianni said he still talks to his brother about local Section VI sports, especially basketball. After Southwestern’s boys basketball team swept their season series against Olean two weeks ago, Jay Sirianni said his brother texted him excitedly, saying, “We just swept Olean in boys basketball for the first time since ‘98!”
Of course, the last name of Sirianni carries quite a lot of weight at Southwestern Central School District. Fran and Amy Sirianni, the parents of the three men, have been affiliated with the school for several years.
“Nick’s dad was his football coach in high school. … He had a role model coach. His mom was a teacher, so he majored in education with plans of teaching and coaching,” Kehres said.
Mention the name Fran Sirianni to anyone affiliated with the school, and you’re almost sure to hear something positive about him.
“Our athletic complex is named after Fran. … He and his family have done so much for the high school,” said Jake Burkholder, the current head coach of Southwestern’s football team.
Burkholder knows Sirianni personally, having interned with the coach in the summer of 2021 while he was in his first year with the Eagles.
“Interning was awesome,” Burkholder said. “It was cool to see his virtues and how he runs things… he’s successful and dedicated to his craft.”
Having an alum coaching in the Super Bowl is well known at Southwestern, according to Burkholder. On Wednesday, Feb. 8, the school is planning to have a “Wear Green” day in support of Sirianni and his Eagles.Hopefully there’s no Chiefs fans at Southwestern.
Burkholder also believes that Sirianni’s journey can inspire kids to go for their dreams.
“I think it shows a lot to both kids and adults that if there’s something you want to do, you can do it if you put in the work,” Burkholder said.
He also noted how special it is to have a local connection to the Super Bowl.
“There’s not a lot of people in general that are part of the Super Bowl, so having alumni in the Super Bowl is awesome,” Burkholder said. “It’s cool to see that connection.”
As for Super Bowl predictions, all three are looking forward to the matchup.
“It’s a great opportunity to learn by watching these two coaching staffs and their approaches to the game,” said Kehres.
So on Sunday, Kehres, Burkholder, Jay Sirianni and all of Western New York will be watching as Nick Sirianni coaches in arguably the biggest football game of the year.
Not bad for a Chautauqua County kid.