THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, SEpTEmbER 13, 2024 Page 7 For the love of the game, kids, an era ends filled with successful memories on and off the gridiron From player to coach to president, brian Dimond announces he’s stepping away from the Crimson Tide pop Warner program after over four impactful decades By Joe McConnell T he year was 1990, and Brian Dimond was 20-yearsold. He had the usual dreams of any young adult, but first he wanted to give back to the Everett Eagles organization that taught him so much about life on and off the gridiron, when he was a player in it for six years. Thirty-four years later, Dimond, who is currently the president of the Everett Crimson Tide Pop Warner Football League, announced this week that he’s stepping away from a lifetime of fond memories at the conclusion of this season. It all started for him as an Eagles player, before returning years later as the Eagles’ E-team coach. He moved up the ranks rather quickly, having also coached the B, C and D-teams – and also helped out on the A-team staff when George Paone and Bobby Hart coached them – before assuming the presidency in 2000. When the Everett Huskies and Eagles merged in 2012 to form one league, he remained in charge. But why is he announcing his resignation now? His answer is as simple as the reason he gave over three decades ago, when he returned to the league in supervisory roles. “We have a lot of good young blood right now in this league with great ideas, and it’s their time,” Dimond said. “I’m not tired of it, but it’s just good to get others involved at this point in the decision-making process.” Dimond is not quite finished as a youth football administrator. He’ll still be the vice president of the Northeastern Massachusetts Pop Warner Conference, the league that Everett plays in during the regular season. Through the years, Dimond says he wouldn’t change a thing. “I don’t regret any second of it,” he said. Tom Abruzzese, the Eagles president prior to Dimond taking over the post, and Peter Mangraviti, the Eagles founder and its first president, are two individuals that Brian has looked up to, and tries to emulate. He specifically said of Mangraviti: “He was a kind-hearted man, who constantly gave back to the city, and I wanted to follow that lead.” At first, the Everett Eagles Longtime Everett Crimson Tide Pop Warner (ECTPW) president Brian Dimond, left, and longtime ECTPW board member George Castiello, right, flank EHS football coach Justin Flores after introducing themselves to the new high school coach last year. (Courtesy photo) were known as the St. Anthony’s Eagles under Mangraviti’s watch, and he continued to preside over the organization through the name change to the city it represents. When the city bragged of having two Pop Warner football leagues – Huskies and Eagles – they each had two teams on the four younger levels, while both had one A-team. A total of 600 players (at least 35 on each team) suited up annually to play youth football in Everett, and that doesn’t count the same number of cheerleaders who graced the sidelines. Believe it or not, it’s almost getting back to that point, and Dimond couldn’t be happier. There are at least 270 combined players and cheerleaders today, the most the program has had in years. Instead of referring to the teams with letters (A-E), they are now labeled by age. Everett has five football teams that includes two U-11 squads. There’s also U-7, U-9 and U-13 clubs. Among the cheerleaders, the organization brags about having seven teams this year, with girls as young as four learning the cheering techniques. Brian remembers the Eagles practicing at Sacramone Park, and when they merged with the Huskies all football practices were held at Glendale Park. As a player, he was a center and middle linebacker. He continued to play football at Malden Catholic, before heading into the plumbing business, where today he’s a night supervisor for Elge Plumbing that has a warehouse on Sunnyside Avenue. The Everett native was born and raised on Winthrop Street, before raising his three daughters – Kloey, 25; Chelsi, 19; and McKenna, 11 on Rosedale Avenue. He has since moved to Peabody with his wife Nicole. Brian’s parents, the late Eddie and Marie, ran the Eagles concession stand at the Stadium. The ECTPW president is the second oldest in his family. Michelle, Danielle and Nicole are his sisters. Dimond opened up to the Everett Advocate earlier this week for a quick Q&A on his many years in local sports after his retirement announcement was made public. While you were coaching, did you have any championRich Dellisola, Joe LaMonica, Joe Baldacchino, Sr. and his wife, Kathleen, Bill Marchant, Jimmy Curtis, Sr. and his wife, Adrienne, Everett Crimson Tide Pop Warner president Brian Dimond and Sal DiDomenico, from left, were on hand to honor the memory of former players Joe Baldacchino, Jr. (89, former Huskie) and Jimmy Curtis, Jr, (68, former Eagle) in 2012 at Everett Memorial Stadium. Joe passed away in 2009, and Jimmy in 2011. The league is shown presenting Joe and Brian’s framed uniforms to the respective families. (Courtesy photo) ship teams, and did they ever go to Florida to play for the national championship at the Wide World of Sports Disney World Complex in Orlando? Also, have you had any championship teams since you have been president? As a coach, we were EMass champions once, before falling short in the semifinal round of the New England Regionals. My teams also won a few North Shore championships. As president, I have been honored with multiple trips – pretty much almost every year – down to the Pop Warner national football and cheerleading championships in Orlando, Fla. I’m very proud to say we have had a lot of national finalists, and a few national championships, both with the Eagles and the Tide. The first year we merged to become the Crimson Tide we won the national C-team DIMOND | SEE PAGE 8
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