Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Date: 10/26/2023
LUDLOW — Ludlow High School boys soccer coach Greg Kolodziey secured his 200th career win on Oct. 11 when Ludlow beat Belchertown boys soccer 2-0.
Kolodziey joked, “If you hang around and coach long you are bound to win a few games.”
Kolodziey has been coaching at Ludlow High School for 36 years, including the most recent 15 years as the head coach.
The accomplishment was shared by the Ludlow Athletics Department and the players and coaching staff applauded Kolodziey for the milestone win but Kolodziey had no idea what they were congratulating him for at first.
“I actually had no idea after the game that I got the 200th. One of my assistant coaches came up to me and congratulated me and I was like, ‘OK.’ I had no idea that was 200th but it’s fun and a great conversation piece,” Kolodziey said.
Kolodziey has multiple accomplishments under his belt already, including a Coach of the Year award and multiple state and Western Massachusetts championships.
He has positioned the Ludlow High School boys soccer team to be considered a top team in the state every year and has gained a huge amount of community support since his tenure began.
When coaching a high school sport, the roster is always changing to players graduating, changing grades or potentially losing interest in the sport.
The rotating roster has not caused a hitch as Ludlow soccer finished each year with a winning record and playoff run.
“Every year is a new batch of kids that we deal with, and they know the history and they want to put their page in the history books. It is always exciting, and each year is a new puzzle to put together. The continuity is important. The younger kids know what we are all about when they get up into high school so hopefully the transition is smooth, and we keep the ball rolling.”
At the time of publication, Kolodziey had also picked up win 201 and 202 to increase the teams record to 12-0-2 on the season with the playoffs starting at the end of October.
He said that he is hoping to continue adding to the overall win total for the team.
“If we can stay healthy, we might make some noise. We will have to stay healthy and catch a few bounces. That always helps. Our attitude is pretty good and I think we can make a run at it,” Kolodziey added.
Last year, Ludlow and the surrounding community rallied around Kolodziey, who suffered what was described as a major heart attack on Dec. 1, 2022.
He said he was excited to get back to coaching.
“I made a pretty good comeback. My cardio team was fabulous, and they had me back on the field by March. After my little winter tune-up, I was ready to go in a couple months. It was good to get back on the field with the kids, they keep me young,” Kolodziey said.
Ludlow Athletic Director Tim Brillo said, “We are immensely proud of Coach Kolodziey’s achievement. His dedication to developing not only skilled soccer players but also outstanding individuals is unparalleled. This milestone is a reflection of his unwavering commitment to excellence, and we are grateful for his continued contributions to the Ludlow community.”