BY RYAN O'CONNOR

The Pembroke Academy football team has never had a winning football season, but Dave Tremblay has immediate plans to change the success and the mentality of the program and all those involved.

Tremblay, who this year takes over as varsity head coach, has been part of developmental football in the greater Hooksett area for almost a decade.

For seven years, Tremblay built successful Pop Warner teams with the Hooksett Hurricanes, which draw many of the same players – roughly 70 percent – from Allenstown, Pembroke and Epsom that Pembroke Academy does.

His final two years, Tremblay’s Junior Midget and Pee Wee squads finished second in the state in Division 1.

Then Richard Doell, his predecessor at Pembroke Academy, asked him to start a feeder program at the middle school.

The Junior Spartans went on to finish second in the state both years, making Tremblay’s team runners-up four straight seasons.

Now Tremblay, taking on his most difficult task yet, tries to win his first title, at any level, with a program that hasn’t exceeded four wins in its 11-year history.

But things are being done a little differently in 2007.

“When I came over and started the Junior Spartans, coach Doell told me to go ahead and run what I had been for the last several years, which  helped bring in extra players, but didn’t get them accustomed to what they were doing at the high school,” said Tremblay, who also coached the academy’s junior varsity team last season. “The first thing I did was get a hold of the middle school coaches and taught them the offense and defense, so now they run exactly what we’re running at the high school, and the players are learning the same plays and terminology from sixth grade on.”

Though Suzanne Klink is also stepping into a new role, as athletics director at Pembroke Academy, she said Tremblay’s attitude and demeanor is exactly what the program needs to become respectable.

“The first thing I can tell you about him is he’s a stand-up guy,” said Klink. “We’ve had very good communication thus far, and I expect our football team is going to go out there and give 100 percent and be gentlemen at the same time.”

And since Tremblay was announced as head coach, the roster has increased from 39 players at the end of 2006 to 61 participants to begin 2007.

“I’m pretty excited about (heading the team), but I was hesitant at first because I had mixed feelings about the history here … The team hasn’t been real strong in terms of participation,” said Tremblay. “To have only 39 kids finishing the season last year is not acceptable in my opinion. So going in I knew we definitely had to do something with the numbers.

“Once I was appointed head coach, the kids started coming out of the woodwork, so that’s obviously a pretty good sign.”

Tremblay has also brought in several coaches familiar with his system, including Mike Tatro, who has been his first mate for nine years and is taking over as Pembroke’s varsity defensive coordinator and assistant head coach.

Marty Auger, who has been with Trembley the last four years, serves as assistant defensive coordinator, and Keith Allen, in his third stint as a coach with the school, takes on the JV head coaching duties.

Jake Cheney, who recently graduated from Plymouth State College, where he was a wide receiver, coaches his position at the varsity level, and Mike Natalizio takes over as offensive coordinator for the freshmen and JV squads.

For the middle school team, Lenny Poole is the new eighth-grade head coach, and Frank Rhoades, one of the original coaches with the high school, is the offensive coordinator.