Lake-Lehman football coach Jerry Gilsky steps down after 16 years

Nov. 25—The Wyoming Valley Conference will have another head coaching opening among its 12 football teams.

Lake-Lehman's Jerry Gilsky stepped down after 16 seasons running the Black Knights' program, citing personal reasons as the main factor in his decision.

Gilsky finished with a 97-79 record at Lehman. His teams qualified for the postseason 14 times, played for a District 2 championship four times and won the District 2 Class 2A title in 2013.

The 2013 team set the school record for victories in finishing 11-2. Lehman made its only appearance in the PIAA state playoffs that season.

"You look at 16 years being there, I really have to thank the kids and stuff and everything because they are such good kids," Gilsky said. "You look how far it is for 16 years driving, the amount of time and my own family.

"I have a son in fourth grade who is doing a lot with sports. My daughter, for the past few years I missed a lot of her hockey games and stuff. She's in eighth grade right now."

Gilsky said his family embraced him coaching football. He hasn't ruled out coaching again but would like to do so closer to his home in Mountain Top, which is a little more than 25 miles from Lehman. He is the assistant principal at the Lighthouse Academy in Wilkes-Barre.

The WVC has at least two other openings and possibly a third. Bob Stelma resigned at Wyoming Valley West after three years. Tunkhannock coach Pat Keating stepped down after three years. Keating was hired recently as an elementary principal at Wyoming Valley West, where he was the head coach from 2009-18.

Nanticoke Area also opened its position which was held by Damon Saxon this past season. Saxon was in his first year. The Trojans finished 0-10.