Checton leaves Mapletown for Fayette Campus
Since graduating from Bethany College in 2003, Adam Checton’s coach career has been on a fast track. After spending a few years as a volunteer assistant, Checton, a 1999 graduate of Geibel Catholic High School, landed the head coaching job at Mapletown High School just days before the start of the 2006-2007 campaign.
Checton, who replaced current Jefferson-Morgan boys coach Fred Morecraft, took the reins just days before the start of the season and had to coach his first game from the stands while some paperwork was still being processed.
After finally getting on the bench, Checton and his coaching staff guided the Maples to the playoffs in 2007 and repeated the feat during the 2007-2008 season. After those two years in the high school game, the 26-year old is taking another huge step in his coaching career as he heads to Uniontown to become the head coach at Penn State Fayette, the Eberly Campus.
While Checton has always had the goal of making it to the college game in mind, he didn’t expect to happen this quickly.
“When I got hired at Mapletown, I had just turned 25 and I put together a five-year plan,” Checton said. “I wanted to be at a AAAA school or be involved with the college sport by 30. It was never in my wildest dreams to be a college coach by 26.”
Checton replaces former head man Dana Zajicek, who guided the Roaring Lions to a 5-19 overall record in his second and final year at the school. Penn State Fayette went winless during the 2006-2007 campaign.
Over those same two years, Checton guided the Maples to an overall combined mark of 20-26 and a winning record in Section 2-A (11-9). Despite his quick success in his first coaching gig, Checton knows that the jump from Class A to the NCAA Division III game is a steep one.
“I know it’s going to be a big challenge for me, but I like challenge,” Checton said. “I feel I did a pretty good job at Mapletown, going from season one to season two and I hope I can do the same thing at Fayette.”
Checton also commented that both he and his now former school were well aware of his long-term goals on the bench.
“When I was hired at Mapletown I told [athletic director] Linda [Shultz] and [head principal] Randy Brooks that I want to be a Division I basketball coach,” Checton said. “If I find happiness at Mapletown with this career, I could see that, but right now my goals are elsewhere. By no means did I expect to be gone in two years.”
According to Checton, he received word from Fayette that they were interested in hiring him back at the end of May right after Memorial Day. He officially resigned this past week.
Vince Capozzi, the athletic director at Penn State Fayette, said that three components of Checton’s personality and background really earned him the job over candidates that included college assistants: his enthusiasm, his communication skills and his experience as a head coach.
“First of all, his enthusiasm and desire for the job was something that we were looking for,” Capozzi said. “We wanted him to create an example for our players with his enthusiasm and dedication. Everyone he met here was very impressed with him. What we were looking for was head coaching experience. If you can coach, you can coach at various levels.”
His work with the Maples under rather unusual circumstances (Morecraft’s sudden departure) also impressed those doing the hiring at Fayette.
Checton will need all the skills, enthusiasm and dedication he can muster when his first season tips off on Saturday, Nov. 15. That game against Saint Vincent, a Division III school with a rich history, is the first of six straight contests on the road.
Included with Saint Vincent in that slate are contests at Division II members Indiana University of Pa. and Slippery Rock, along with tilts at NAIA members Shawnee State and Point Park University. Checton will face his first Penn State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) opponent, Penn State York, on Dec. 6, the final game of the half-dozen road contests.
“It’s a little intimidating to see that right away,” Checton said. “It’s a bonus, I think, because we’re going to find out what we’re made of early on in the season. We’re going to find out in the first week what we need to work on.”
After hearing the news of Checton taking the job at Fayette, Mapletown Athletic Director Linda Shultz expressed a mix of regret at seeing the young coach leave, and best wishes in his future endeavors.
“Adam came in under a real difficult set of circumstances at the beginning. He did a really nice job for us and we really hate to see him go,” Shultz said. “I worked with him a lot and he was very cooperative with me and good to work with. It really took us by surprise and I wish him all the best.”
Capozzi expressed his own excitement for the upcoming season.
“We wish the season started tomorrow because he’s excited and ready to hit the ground running,” Capozzi said. “He’s embracing this with a lot of enthusiasm.”