Here We Go! A High School Football Podcast

Former Middletown South Head Coach, Our Mentor & Friend: Dr. John Andl

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 20:30:03 GMT

In this episode, we welcome Dr. John Andl, a man who has meant so much to both of us as a coach, mentor and lifelong friend. Our journey with Coach Andl began when he joined Coach Comeforo’s staff at Middletown South High School in 1985 and he became Coach LaCava’s RB position coach. In 1986, Coach Letson joined Coach Andl as an assistant on South’s coaching staff as the Secondary Coach and little did we know at the time that the three of us would reunite in the future on several different stages. Coach Andl was to become the Head Coach at Middletown South in 1988 when he hired both of us to join him on his staff, and he subsequently led South to consecutive CJ Group 4 Finals in 1988 and 1989, winning South’s first ever State Title in 1989 with a 21-3 victory over Madison Central. The 89 Team received the post season USA Today ranking of #13 in the country. Coach Andl would later join us at Colts Neck High School in 2009, where he would be Coach LaCava’s top Offensive Assistant and be an integral part of the Cougars high powered offense and 2013 CJ Group 4 State Finalist.

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Here We Go! A High School Football Podcast is hosted by Coaches Tom Letson and Greg LaCava. They offer a combined 50+ years of coaching experience to help new and seasoned coaches build successful high school football programs.

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Former Assistant Jack Nascimento: 1 Year Together Can Lead to Lifetime Brotherhood

Thu, 26 Mar 2026 11:34:00 GMT

In this episode, we welcome our great friend Jack Nascimento, our former Colts Neck Assistant and current OC at Donovan Catholic. This episode underscores the lifetime bond of friendship that coaching this great game of football together can create, which sometimes only takes 1 year together as this episode reveals. Coach Nas describes his introduction to the game with a great experience with Keyport Indians Pop Warner Program and his decision to attend SJV to play football and baseball while all his childhood friends attended public school. Coach Nas won the QB job as a sophomore and ran the Wing-T for Coach Penta for 3 years. Following graduation circumstances lead Coach Nas to immediately coach the Freshman for Coach Penta at SJV and he immediately fell in love with coaching. Coach Nas details his journey from there, making a stop at Brookdale Community College to Pitch for Coach Johnny Johson before making coaching stops at SJV, Raritan, Ida S Baker in Cape Coral, FL, Monmouth, Marlboro, Colts Neck, Holmdel and now Donovan Catholic for the last 8 seasons. Coach Nas shares with listeners the horrific injury his son Gavin experienced while playing for him at Donovan Catholic in 2024, an update on Gavin's progress and how grateful the family was for the tremendous outpouring of support during that difficult time.

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Coach Craig Cicardo, NJ Warriors Junior College Football Team

Sat, 14 Mar 2026 09:49:53 GMT

In this episode, we welcome our friend and coaching colleague, Coach Craig Cicardo. Our ties with Coach Cicardo go back to when we were all coaching in Middletown, NJ in the late 1980's and early 1990s. Coach Cicardo has a very interesting path and one that also has some similarities to our own. Coach Cicardo was a part of the inaugural football class at Lacy High School in 1981. At Lacey he played QB under the legendary Shore Football Great Lou Vircillo. Following his college football career at FDU where he also played QB, Coach entered the world of college coaching at McNeese State in LA, where he coached WRs for a short time before returning to NJ and becoming the Head Coach Baseball at Mater Dei Prep in Middletown. Shortly thereafter the Head Football job opened, and Coach became Mater Dei’s Head Coach at the young age of 24 where he remained as a fixture in the area for 10 years. Coach Cicardo became the Head Coach at Pinelands Regional High School in 2000 through 2003. During his tenure he led the Wildcats to their first playoff berth in school history. Coach returned to college ball in 2004, coaching the WRs for one year at Monmouth University before returning to his roots and joining his beloved Head Coach Lou Vircillo as an assistant at Lacey for the next 6 years. From 2010 to 2012 Coach Cicardo returned to the college coaching ranks, coaching both at Kean and The College of NJ, remaining at the latter from 2015 to 2021. Coach Cicardo has been the Head Coach of the NJ Warriors Junior College Football team out of Jackson since 2022 and in this episode, he describes this opportunity for community college students in depth.

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Coach Keenan - Our Former Player & Assistant Coach Shares His Journey

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 09:33:01 GMT

Our Special Guest in Episode 8 is Kevin "KC" Keenan, our former player at Allentown High School who joined our staff upon graduating high school in June 2002. KC shares his coaching and career journey and how his special relationship with Coach LaCava impacted his decisions during a time of uncertainty in his life. KC also shares how he and his Allentown teammates embraced Coach LaCava's challenge to be different, and fought for respectability as a football team. This episode reflects the special bond coaches and former players develop when they become coaching colleagues and lifelong friends.

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Coach Joe Murphy: A Coaching Colleague, Special Kicking Coach and Lifelong Friend

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 14:25:00 GMT

Our special guest in this episode is our close friend and coaching colleague, Joe Murphy. This episode takes a deep dive into Coach Murph’s lifelong passion for the game of football that first began with playing Pop Warner in Middle Queens, NY where he was born and raised, to the present day as an Assistant Coach for the Allentown Redbirds. Coach Murph reflects on his playing days in the NYC Adult Unlimited League (any size, any age, any weight) for the Long Reds from 1972 to 1975, and his transition into coaching for Allentown Pop Warner (NJ) in the early 90s. The hosts share their experience of meeting Coach Murph when they came to Allentown in 1999 and his transition onto their staff where they began a lifelong friendship. Coach Murph also describes his experience of coaching former Colts Neck female place kicker Abby Letson, who was among the top NJ statistical leaders in 2013.

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Talking with Abby Letson — Colts Neck's Female Placekicker

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 01:12:04 GMT

Our special guest in this episode is Abby Letson, Colts Neck High School's female place kicker from 2012 to 2013. Abby, who is Coach Letson's daughter, shares her unique experience on the Colts Neck Football team, going from a successful youth travel soccer player to kicking an x-point in a NJ State Sectional Football final. Abby won the kicking job during her senior year, and she went on to be one of the most successful kickers in the state, kicking 44 x-points and a 35 yard field goal. This episode is especially helpful for any athlete who may be hesitant to pursue their dreams due to societal or other pressures. Filled with funny anecdotes and the importance of a solid, ethical program culture created by the Head Coach, this is a must see episode!

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Talking Football & The Inspiring life of Chuck Welsh: Former Head Coach of Freehold Township High School

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 11:56:10 GMT

Our guest on this episode is Chuck Welsh, former Head Football Coach of Freehold Township High School in NJ from 1986 to 1993.

Coach Welsh is a very close friend, a consummate education professional, a cerebral and caring coach, a loving husband of over 50 years, and a father and grandfather who has a very unique personal story that you will want to hear.

Circumstances in Coach’s life led him to enter the Milton Hershey School for Boys at the tender age of 4. Milton Hershey was a residential school for underprivileged boys who met certain criteria for admission. Coach Welsh lived at the Hershey School from age of 4 until he graduated from their high school at age 17. In his senior football season (1964) he was a starting defensive tackle for the Spartans and details his experience playing high school football during this era.

After attending a junior college, Coach was drafted into the Marines where during bootcamp his superiors noticed his qualities of discipline and responsibility and he was nominated for the coveted distinction of Most Outstanding Marine in his Platoon of 80 recruits. Coach ultimately did a tour in Vietnam where he was a machine gunner and received a Purple Heart for being wounded in action.

After his discharge from the Marines, Coach Welsh ultimately chose a career in Education and after completing college was employed as a social studies teacher and assistant football coach at Freehold Boro High School in NJ. Coach remained at Freehold Boro as the Defensive Coordinator for 12 years until he was hired for the Freehold Township Head Football job. Coach Welsh gets into the successes and challenges over his 8 years as Head Coach, and remains in regular contact with many of his former players who speak fondly of him as a leader, mentor and motivator.

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Memories, Program Strategies & Tough Players

Sun, 25 Jan 2026 17:41:45 GMT

In this episode, Coach Letson brings up some favorite memories over his many years of coaching, with discussions including:

getting creative to motivate players when your team needs an edge;
how tough players never cease to amaze;
the difficult decisions Coach Lacava had to make for his player safety, and more!

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Coach Letson & Defense: A Lifetime Journey Part I

Sun, 18 Jan 2026 13:13:03 GMT

Coach Letson shares his lifetime experiences and influences that shaped his personality as a coach and his philosophy as a High School Defensive Coordinator for 21 seasons.

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Coach Letson’s Defensive Philosophy & Game Planning - Part 1

Sun, 11 Jan 2026 11:52:20 GMT

In this episode, Coach LaCava reviews his offensive philosophy on the high school level, including how it evolved over the years from being a player to a Head Coach at Allentown, Colts Neck, and Holmdel high schools.

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From Player to Teammate to Coach: Our Football Journey with Coach Bova

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 10:51:17 GMT

We're kicking off this episode with our very first special guest: Coach Chris Bova! Coach Bova played with show host Greg LaCava in high school and was coached by co-host Tom Letson. His love for the game and his deep connection to Greg and Tom brought him back to the football field as a coach, and together these three share a long, successful coaching history alongside a lifelong friendship.

Tune in to hear lessons on how to think outside the box when you're outmatched on the field, how a person like Coach Bova views the long-term effects of LaCava and Letson's approach to program culture — and what football and coaching truly mean in the lives of young men over generations.

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Introduction to Here We Go: A High School Football Podcast!

Thu, 25 Dec 2025 20:48:13 GMT

Welcome to Here We Go: A High School Football Podcast! In this episode, your hosts Coaches Tom Letson and Greg LaCava will discuss their football history, from playing to coaching. They'll give you a look at what this podcast is all about and what you can expect to hear when you tune in.

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