Passionate PL AYERS
Bill Lopasky
From Small Town to Big League Bill “Hard Coal” Lopasky appreciates the time he spent playing high school, college and professional football and all the people he met along the way. More than athletic feats, though, it helped him achieve an advanced education, which served him well off the field.
“It was about the camaraderie,” he said, “and the love of the game. We enjoyed it. I still get calls from teammates. It’s also the only way I could’ve gotten an education.” His nickname, “Hard Coal,” pays homage to his hometown, Lehman, in the heart of Pennsylvania’s coal country, and his ability to withstand roughness. Bill started playing football in ninth grade for Lehman High School on a team that didn’t even have enough players to scrimmage one another. 18
Winter 2022 Issue
Merr Trumbore
A coach from nearby King’s College saw Bill play and told a friend at West Virginia University (WVU) about him. Bill received a full scholarship to play for the WVU Mountaineers. He was injured his first year and red-shirted his second, but played his junior year and started his senior year. One of his greatest athletic feats came during a game against Oklahoma University. He played offensive and defensive guard and was part of the special team unit (squad used for kickoffs, punts or other special plays). It was his junior year, and his first time on the field, when he blocked a quick kick and took it back into the end zone for a touchdown. “I remember walking on the field before the game with my tie on and no one in the stands,” Bill said. “I wasn’t a first team player, but coach looked at me and said, ‘You’re starting today.’ Later, when I walked out in my uniform, there were 40,000 to 50,000 people in the stands.”
