Boys Soccer: Low-key Zimmerman has nurtured Conestoga into a state power

HERSHEY >> With a fierce wind blowing an unrelenting downpour of freezing rain on Saturday evening at Hersheypark Stadium, David Zimmerman was calm and composed, as usual. The veteran Conestoga boys’ soccer coach’s low-key demeanor belied the high stakes of his program’s second appearance in the finals of the PIAA State Tournament. And even after the Pioneers secured the Class 4A state title with a 1-0 triumph over Elizabethtown, Zimmerman’s celebration was heartfelt, but more on the reserved side.

“I’m barely alive,” he laughed, when asked about his demeanor. “The image I try to project is calm. Our players look to the coaching staff. If you are losing it or are angry, they are going to feel that.”

Zimmerman is not a screamer – never has been. A teacher and a tactician, yes, but not the kind of fire and brimstone you commonly associated with the coaching profession. As a result, his team’s plays a cerebral, measured style, with a focus on preparation and trusting the process.

“He is very low key. He doesn’t raise his voice very often,” said senior Gabe Harms. “If we are not playing well, he will give us a stern talking to, maybe even a few choice words,” added another senior, Blaise Milanek.

Now with a pair of state championships in the last six years, Zimmerman and his staff – Blake Stabert, Angelo Capetola and Jamie O’Neil – have developed the ’Stoga program into one of the true gold standards in Pennsylvania. In the last seven seasons, for example, the Pioneers have made five appearances in the quarterfinals of the PIAA State Tournament.

“That whole staff is phenomenal. They get the kids to buy in,” said Conestoga Athletic Director Kevin Pechin. “This staff has been together for seven, eight years,” Zimmerman pointed out. “Our goal is to try to set an example of composure, and the players on the field read that.”

The Pioneers’ ascent into a state power wasn’t exactly a quick rise, but more of a steady, gradual build — which kind of fits Zimmerman’s no-frills persona. “Dave will outwork you,” Pechin said. “He is very calm, almost flat-lined. He doesn’t get too high or too low. As a result, his teams are very poised.”

Zimmerman’s first season as the head coach came back in 2002, and it took eight seasons for Conestoga to make its first deep postseason run in 2010. The following season, the Pioneers captured the District 1 title and went on to notch their first state crown under Zimmerman. It was the school’s second overall, with the first coming back in 1988.

“The coaches talk about the 2011 team a lot, we think of them as role models,” said senior Mason Miller. “And I’m so excited that a picture of this team will go right up next to that one.”

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