By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

One of the best football and basketball players in Mogadore history is now a Southeast Pirate.

Zeddie Pollock was hired before the start of the school year to be a middle school teacher, while also joining the Pirates’ football and boys basketball coaching staff.

ZEDDIE POLLOCK

Pollock graduated from Mogadore in 2015 and was a standout for the Wildcats as their football quarterback and basketball point guard.

He owns the 10th-best career passing total in Portage County history with 4,159 yards — and also was a 1,000-point scorer in basketball with 1,060 points.

And in addition to his athletic ability and knowledge of the games, it is the same characteristics that made him one of Mogadore’s greatest leaders that have allowed him to gain credibility with the Southeast student-athletes.

“The fact that Zeddie can still play at a high level allows players to realize that they should listen to him. So his credibility is already there and the players gravitate toward that,” Southeast boys basketball head coach Mike Matisi said. “He backs it up with a positive attitude and encouraging coaching style, while also being realistic with them. He has been a great addition to our staff.”

Matisi first met Pollock over the summer after Southeast athletic director, assistant pricincpal and football head coach Pat Youel told him that Pollock had been hired.

“After meeting and getting to know him, I couldn’t pass up having him around our program,” Matisi said.

Pollock is a varsity assistant for the Pirates and works around both the varsity and junior varsity teams. He also steps into practices, with Matisi using him as his team’s upcoming opponent’s best player or to use him as the benchmark in shooting drills as the number of makes to beat.

Overall, Matisi is simply excited to have another strong mind on his bench to help lead his program in the right direction by doing things the right way.

“Zeddie has a wealth of knowledge,” Matisi said. “I appreciate the fact I can rely on him when I don’t know how to approach something.”