When the Greenfield football team takes the field for the preseason, things will look decidedly different under the smoldering summer sun. Longtime coach Mike Kuchieski officially made the decision to step down after the 2025 season. As the athletic director, Kuchieski began the search for his own replacement.
“Coach (Al) Dean and I have been talking about it the last couple years,” Kuchieski said. “The passion that I once had is not necessarily there anymore. I think we both looked at each other and said if the right guy came to keep it going, we would both step down.”
Kuchieski began coaching in Greenfield in 2004, amassing 146 wins during his Western Mass. high school career. The 1984 Greenfield graduate is a Mass. Coaches Hall of Fame member. In his first season with Greenfield, the Green Wave went 8-3 and won the Suburban League championship. Through the years Kuchieski mostly pointed to player relationships as a favorite memory.
“I think just being able to have kids come back and say thanks coach,” Kuchieski said. “It’s not the wins and losses. Being able to coach your son was trying at times but I can always say I was able to do that. Coaching some of my best friends’ kids was kind of cool. But it also felt like I am old. I want to get out of here before I am coaching grandsons. I want to leave it in good hands. The football program in Greenfield deserves that because of the history that is here.”
Kuchieski will stay on as a teacher and athletic director at Greenfield. He began his coaching career in 1988 at Wagner College. After another stop at Upsala College he took over the Athol program in 1991. Kuchieski spent nine seasons in Tool Town before moving to Florida to coach at Gulf Coast High School.
“Just the memories of kids all the way back to Athol,” Kuchieski said. “I am still in contact with kids in Florida. I am still in contact with guys I coached at Wagner. Some really good memories. But it’s time.”
Longtime assistant Al Dean will also end his long and storied tenure with the Green Wave. Dean began his coaching career for the varsity football team in 1981. The defensive guru worked with Bill Budness and Mike Duprey before Kuchieski.
The Green Wave did not have to go far to find their new coach. Jacob Silvester was an assistant for Greenfield last fall. Silvester also played football at Springfield College, Kuchieski’s alma mater. Kuchieski played football and baseball for the Pride.
“I saw him (Silvester) as I was when I was 24 years old coaching high school at Athol,” Kuchieski said. “He was a quarterback at Springfield, I was a quarterback at Springfield. It was cool. He presents himself like he’s ready to go. I am not worried about it. He has great ideas.”
Silvester had a impressive presence along the sidelines, which did not go unnoticed by Kuchieski and especially Dean.
“The four or five games on the sidelines that he spent with us,” Kuchieski said. “That was his interview. When Coach Dean says something and is vocal about it, you listen. He’s been around a lot of people in the 56 years that he’s coached.”
Dean saw Silvester work well with players.
“He struck me as someone who could deal really well with kids,” Dean said. “The coaching he did, it seemed like he had a really nice touch. Instructive and at times, firm. But also making the kid feel about what he was trying to do. He worked with our quarterback. I think his play improved considerably. Jacob has a wonderful personality. Bubbly, fun guy that I really think the kids will take to.”
The path to Silvester’s first coaching job was certainly unique. During his senior season playing for Springfield College in 2024, Silvester tore his ACL just before the playoffs. This thrust Silvester into an impromptu coaching role for the Pride.
“I took over and coached the kid that was going to be my replacement,” Silvester said. “The kid that took over was only a sophomore. He hadn’t really played much. I had to jump in and get him ready to play some playoff football.
During the following spring just before graduation, Silvester interned with the football team working with the future quarterbacks at Springfield College. He worked with quarterbacks T.J. Welch and Drew Heenan during this time.
“I was there for a couple weeks in the fall,” Silvester said. “When I heard about a teaching opening here. Halfway through I took the job here and got right into it coaching these guys here in Greenfield. Day one I was here to teach, that afternoon I was out at practice getting introduced to the team. It all happened pretty quick.”
Silvester becomes the 22nd coach in Greenfield history. Carl Nichols had the longest tenure with Greenfield, from 1919-1958 (176-79-31). Between 1906 and 1913 there was a lot of turnover and co-coaches. Since 1914, there have been 10 coaches patrolling the sidelines.
“It’s a lot,” Silvester said. “Nobody is used to change around here. There’s going to be some things, getting over the hump I guess you could say. It’s humbling. There’s only been so many coaches in Greenfield’s history. There’s been some long tenures here. Being prepared to take it over, it’s a lot, by I am very excited. There’s going to be some good things that start to happen. More modern things.”
Silvester brings the Springfield College triple option to Vets Field. Bill Budness ran some triple option at Greenfield during his tenure from 1972-1983.
“If you ever seen Springfield College play offense its hard nose triple option. Army/Navy style,” Silvester said. “Don’t know how much of the option we will get into to but a lot of similar formations. Ground and pound. Limit our mistakes. Try to turn the other team over a couple times and really possess the football. If we can do it really well I can see us putting ourselves in a lot of positions to win football games.”
Running the triple option at Springfield College, Silvester played 34 games and rushed for 1,475 yards on 246 carries with 23 touchdowns.