Cardozo Coach Leads School's First Ever Football Team

John Kaso was faced with a task no one had attempted before: coach a Cardozo High School football team.

After playing a developmental schedule of only two games in 2009, Kaso and the first-ever Cardozo Judges football team (7-0) is one win away from an undefeated season.

"We've made a lot of progress very quickly," said Kaso, adding, "It's been a very interesting process and it would be fascinating to see an undefeated season just because it doesn't happen too often on the football field."

His team will take on Alfred E. Smith Career and Tech. Education High School in the Bronx on Sunday at 11 a.m. 

Although the Judges are now one of just three undefeated Junior Varsity teams in the city (along with Stuyvesant in Manhattan and Tilden in Brooklyn) this season, Kaso said the team's success has been earned via hard work and baby steps.

"We had about 45 kids come out for the team last year and only about seven of them had football experience," said Kaso, who was Most Valuable Player of the St. John's University football team in 1977 and 1978. "This year we had nearly 80 come out and only the same number of kids with experience."

Kaso and his assistant coaches Lou Decicco, Sean Glover and John Savage heavily stressed fundamentals during the first season and arranged scrimmages to help keep the players interested. Since first taking the field in August of 2009, they've educated the players in everything from tackling to how to wear their helmets properly.

A special education and history teacher at Cardozo for 15 years, Kaso has been coaching in the PSAL for 26 seasons, and is also the Junior Varsity boys basketball coach. His first coaching position was at Flushing High School, where he spent 16 years and later coached at Jamaica High School for five seasons.

"We never had football and a few years ago, our new principal Gerry Martori spoke with many students who wanted to see the school have a program," said Cardozo Athletic Director Joe Cavallo. "Coach Kaso has established a very organized program with excellent coaching."

Last year, Cardozo won both of the games they played, one against Franklin K. Lane 36-12 in Bayside and one against KIPP NYC College Prep of Harlem at Columbia University, 36-6.

In 2010, Cardozo has been unstoppable in their first full season of competition. After shutting out Beach Channel/Channel View High School 28-0 Saturday, the Judges' record stands perfect going into this weekend's match-up with Alfred E. Smith.

"We wanted to lay a strong foundation and it's carried over to this year," said Kaso, who will hand Junior Varsity head coaching reigns to Savage when he moves up to Varsity next year. "Our team's sense of commitment, responsibility and student success is growing. That's our major focus."