Codispot joining county HOF
In Dan Codispot's words, “I didn't think I was anything special.”
The Butler County Sports Hall of Fame's board of directors think otherwise.
Codispot, a 1984 Butler graduate who played right tackle for Golden Tornado football teams that reached the WPIAL playoffs his junior and senior year, is being inducted into the BCSHOF during the organization's annual banquet April 13 at the Butler Days Inn.
“I was a good player, but it helps to be on a good team in that regard,” Codispot said. “Playing for Coach (Art) Bernardi meant a lot to me.”
Bernardi won his 150th game during Codispot's sophomore year. The Tornado reached the WPIAL finals his junior season, dropping a 7-0 decision to North Hills.
Butler finished 9-2 during Codispot's senior season, bowing to Mt. Lebanon in the WPIAL semifinals by a 12-7 count.
He was named first team all-state his senior season and was selected to play in the Big 33 game that year. He could not participate due to a knee injury.
“I had two uncles, Ed Codi and Dennis Secunda, play for him,” Codispot said of Bernardi. “Bill Rettig's son (also named Bill) was a teammate of mine. There was a lot of pride on our team.
“We had so many players that you didn't play on both sides of the ball. Offense was my position.”
Codispot was 6-foot-2 and weighed 240 pounds when he played.
“I was decent size for that time ... I played before they started growing monsters,” he said.
Codispot also threw the shot put for the track team in high school, “but that was for something to do in the spring. Football was my sport.”
Also recruited by UCLA, Michigan and Pitt, Codispot wound up accepting a scholarship from Temple University. He started on the offensive line for two years with the Owls.
“Temple was an in-state school and I liked the program,” Codispot said. “Bruce Arians was all business as a coach. He got the most out of you.”
Arians went on to a long coaching career in the NFL, recently accepting the head coaching position of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.“He played at Alabama and when he came to Temple, he brought a lot of his former teammates with him on the staff,” Codispot recalled. “Those guys were serious about the game and we had some pretty good teams back then,”Temple's best finish was 7-3 while Codispot was there. Bowl opportunities were not as plentiful then and he did not receive an opportunity to play in a bowl game.Codispot majored in criminal justice at Temple.When looking back on his football career, he recalled rivalries more than any personal moments.“In high school, I always looked forward to the New Castle game,” he said. “The atmosphere was always intense and it was usually a big game for both teams.“At Temple, we always played Pitt, Penn State and West Virginia every year. It was easy to get up for those games.”Codispot relished the way Butler functioned as a team.“Everybody pitched in, did his part to get done what needed to get done,” he said. “I felt like I was a good leader when I played, had a good work ethic.”Codispot has a son in the Air Force and a daughter who is a student at the University of Florida.Tickets for the banquet are $40 in advance and are available at Moses Jewelers at the Clearview Mall, Butler Radio Network on Pillow St., Parker Appliance in Chicora, Snack n Pack in Butler and Saxonburg Drug. Tickets will be $45 at the door.
