Coaches with Kate: Mr. Wozniak

By: Kate Becker

Kate: Today I’m here with Mr. Wozniak, the band director. So Mr. Wozniak, I have a few questions for you. I heard that you used to coach track. When did you coach track? And then what events did you coach? 

Mr. Wozniak: So I coached track when I first started working at Padua, probably around 2002 and I did that until around 2010. I was in charge of the shot put and discus throwers. 

Kate: Ok then I’m guessing you did both band and track in high school?

Mr. Wozniak: Yes I did both. There was always enough time to do both band and track. I did band, orchestra, marching band, and varsity track for all four years. 

Kate: What was your event on track? 

Mr. Wozniak: I threw shot put and discus.

Kate: And then what instrument did you play in band?

Mr. Wozniak: So in symphonic Band, I played French horn for four years, in jazz band I played trombone, and in marching band I was a member of the drumline. 

Kate: How did you get into coaching track? 

Mr. Wozniak: I did it in high school, and I just really enjoyed it and excelled at it. So then when I got here to work here, it was one of those opportunities that comes up, that for teachers sometimes you don’t even think of going into it.  [You just realize] I have the time available to do it, and I have the capability of doing it, so I’m gonna do it, 

Kate: Did you get into coaching marching band the same way then? 

Mr. Wozniak: Not quite the same with marching band because for marching band I went to college for music, so this was always kind of a path that I was on. So I would say I came here to be the marching band director, and then had the time available to coach track. 

Kate: Which is your favorite track or band? 

Mr. Wozniak: Oh band, yeah.

Kate: Would you ever go back to coaching track if the opportunity arose? 

Mr. Wozniak: I think if I had the time available now, but it’s different because when I first started doing that, I was a young, single teacher that had a lot more time on my hands versus now being an old guy married with three kids of his own. So now I kind of cater to my kids’ schedules, and don’t really have the time to coach right now. I think when they get a little bit older, I might go back to it. It was fun. 

Kate: Yeah, that makes sense. And then are there any similarities between coaching marching band and coaching track?

Mr. Wozniak: There are a lot of similarities, especially in the preparation and the practice because of how much individual preparation goes into each of those events. With shot put and discus being so individualized, you have those practicing skills that you can do on your own all the time, which is very similar to a musician taking their instrument into a practice room and just drilling scales all day. 

Kate: Yeah, that’s really good. And what would you say is your favorite part about coaching marching band?

Mr. Wozniak: It’s really fun when everything comes together and you have a show on the field and everybody’s enjoying performing that show. 

Kate: Yeah, that’s always really cool. Would you say there are any standout instrumentalists?

Mr. Wozniak: I think Padua is full of standout instrumentalists. I think it’s one of the secrets that we wish were a little bit louder here, because the individual musicians here are among the best in the area. We are really lucky to have a lot of the musicians we have. 

Kate: So would you say the skill level is very high here?

Mr. Wozniak: Yes. Oh, absolutely. 

Kate: Where do you see the marching band program growing in the next few years? 

Mr. Wozniak: Hopefully we just keep drumming up support, get more bodies on the field, and get more people involved because the more the merrier. It’s more fun when the band is a little bit bigger. 

Kate: Then lastly, what is your favorite band instrument, or, like, favorite music group? 

Mr. Wozniak: It’s like picking my favorite kid, which I could also do. I have the most fun playing a tuba out of all the instruments, but I don’t know if that’s my favorite, though I do have the most fun playing it with a group. 

Kate: Before we end are there any specific people that deserve a shout out at all? 

Mr. Wozniak: No, I don’t want to single anybody out, because that singles out other people. Because you know, I don’t want to leave anyone out of the skill level of all my band kids. 

Kate: Okay, that makes sense. Thank you so much for doing this! 

Mr. Wozniak: No problem at all. 

Kate: That’s it till next month then Padua! If there are any teachers you’d like to see interviewed next comment below! GO BRUINS!!!