CINCINNATI — Football has been a major part of Vince Suriano’s life.

The Martins Ferry native has been involved in the gridiron sport for 43 years as a coach after a stellar playing career. He now runs his own football company.

And all along the way, success has closely followed Suriano. Awards have come aplenty to the former Purple Rider grid standout.

Suriano is set to receive another special honor Feb. 20. He has been selected to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Cincinnati Chapter of the National Football Foundation at this year’s That’s My Boy Award Ceremony in Mason.

“I am very humbled and honored to receive such a prestigious award,” Suriano said. “The award is presented to someone who has accomplished a great deal on the field while also making contributions off the field.

“It is a great scholar-athlete banquet where 16 players are also honored,” he added. “I have to thank my family and all my former players and coaches for helping make this happen.”

After graduating from West Liberty, Suriano cut his coaching teeth at Martins Ferry under coaching legends Bob and Dave Bruney. That tutelage helped him land the head coaching position at Cadiz in 1984. He directed the Cardinals for three successful seasons, going 21-9.

His winning at Cadiz proved a spring board to landing the head coaching post at D-I Cincinnati Anderson. He turned a sagging Queen City program into a perennial winner.

“After graduating West Liberty, it was great to be able to go back to my high school and coach for 10 years with my best friend Dave Bruney,” Suriano said. “I also am indebted to Bob Bruney for helping me get started at Martins Ferry.

“I took a chance when I accepted the Cincinnati Anderson job. They had 13 straight losing seasons when I got there,” he continued. “My first year at Anderson we went 1-9. We got things turned around quickly and had a nice run.”

Suriano led Anderson from 1987-2007, compiling a 147-61 mark, including three undefeated regular seasons. His teams captured 12 conference championships and earned nine post-season berths. He was inducted into the Anderson High Hall of Fame in 2012.

After retiring from Anderson, he spent the 2007-11 seasons at the College of Mount St. Joseph as the associate head coach and offensive coordinator, helping to lead MSJ to a conference title in 2009 and playoff appearances in 2007 and 2009.

He joined the University of Cincinnati football staff in 2013 as director of high school and player relations for four seasons. He worked with the offensive staff while cultivating relationships with high school programs in the tri-state area.

While not currently cast in the realm of coaching, Suriano, age 67, is anything but retired. He is as busy as ever, and enjoying it.

“I formed my own company – Football 360 – where I do featured speaking, consulting work, clinics and training quarterbacks. I coached quarterbacks for 31 years,” Suriano said. “The quarterback training work really blew up. I take the month of March off but work with quarterbacks the rest of the year. Then I go watch them play. I also have authored two books: “Developing An Offensive System for Football” and “Developing a Football Program from A to Z.”

Suriano was inducted into the Ohio High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 2013.

“I have been very fortunate to be able to live out a dream. I have been around football since the third grade when my dad took me to watch the Martins Ferry practices,” Suriano recalled. “That instilled in me what I wanted to do in life. I have been fortunate.

“I have been able to coach on the college D-III and D-I levels, and that was a great experience. I have so much respect for the coaches who worked for me and the one I have coached against. It is a great profession,” he added. “Words can’t express the mutual bond I have with my ex-players and coaches. It (football) has been such a fulfilling experience for me.”

Vince and his wife Crystle have two sons, Michael and Christopher.

BUBBA’S BITS

OUR PRAYERS and best wishes go out to Dave Bruney. The Martins Ferry football coaching legend is recovering from open-heart surgery in Cleveland Monday. He is reportedly doing well.

JOHN MARSHALL has produced countless superb athletes. Tori Derrow definitely rates in that category. She was a 1,000-point scorer in hoops for the Monarchs while placing second in the high hurdles and high jump in the state track meet. She is now displaying that talent and versatility with the Marshall University track team. The redshirt junior is bouncing back from a season lost due to shoulder surgery. Derrow is off to a great indoor season as she was the champion in the grueling pentathlon competition at the Keydet Invitational staged at VMI last week. The invitational featured more than two dozen teams.

LAST WEEK, I mentioned that Bob Brown (Packers) and Andy Rice (Chiefs) both played in Super Bowl I. Prior to that, both played for the Wheeling Ironmen. A third local product, although not an Ironman, also played in that initial Super Bowl. Weir High’s Bob Jeter was a starting cornerback for Green Bay, after starring at Iowa as a running back. Jeter played for the Packers from 1963-1970, being named All-Pro twice.

THE OVAC broke new ground yesterday, staging its first conference championships in bowling. While participation in many Ohio Valley prep sports is waning, bowling is a co-ed sport trending upward.

RYAN DAY continues to make one great move after another. The latest by the Ohio State head coach was bringing back Kerry Coombs to be Buckeyes’ co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach. Coombs was on the Buckeyes’ staff before taking an assistant’s job with the Tennessee Titans.

DURING WHEELING Park’s boys’ basketball game Tuesday against Brooke, the Patriots wore uniforms from the 1996-97 and 1997-98 seasons. The 1996-97 team finished 20-6, advancing to the state championship game, losing to 83-76 to Beckley. The 1997-98 squad finished the regular season rated No. 1 in the state, Park finished with a 21-4 mark, bowing in the state tourney semifinals. Legendary Sam Andy was the Patriots’ head coach for those two powerhouse teams that featured current Patriot head coach Michael Jebbia.

PRIOR TO Tuesday’s Park-Brooke game, Patriots’ senior all-stater Alex Vargo was honored with a plaque for being nominated as a McDonald’s All-American. Vargo went on to score 32 points that night.

THE AUSTIN College (Texas) women’s basketball team is off to a sparkling 14-2 start. Former St. John Central two-time all-stater Michelle (Bielanski) Filander is in her 10th season at the helm of the Lady Kangaroos. Filander, a 1997 SJC grad, scored 1,436 points for the Lady Irish, winning three OVAC titles before earning a scholarship to Robert Morris University.

ON SUNDAY, Feb. 9, the Ohio Valley Football Coaches? Association will be holding its annual football awards banquet at the Steubenville High School Commons. The banquet will begin at noon. OVAC championship teams and first-team all-conference players will be honored. Hall of Fame inductions will also be held.

IN AN Unsung Hero article on the 1940 Powhatan High football team, one of its featured players was inadvertently omitted. Len McVey was a two-way standout for the unbeaten and unscored on Indians before heading off to the University of Cincinnati. McVey also helped Powhatan win the state Class B baseball title.

WHEELING UNIVERSITY is holding a special recognition presentation for golfing legend and current WU golf coach Sue Vail at halftime of today’s men’s basketball game against West Liberty. Vail won the West Virginia Women?s Championship eight times and the state Senior Amateur six times. She has been inducted into the Ohio Valley Legends of Golf and the West Virginia State Golf Hall of Fame. The men’s game will tip at 4 p.m., following the conclusion of the Cardinals-Hilltoppers women’s contest.