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3/18/2009 3:31 AM

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By Mike Kovak, Staff writer

mkovak@observer-reporter.com

Lou Rood enjoys a challenge, and he's taken on several during his coaching career, whether at his alma mater Belle Vernon Area or helping establish the Pittsburgh Passion.

Rood took on a new challenge Monday night. He's been assigned with rebuilding Bentworth football.

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"It's always a challenge when you're coming in fresh," Rood said Tuesday. "I did this at Belle Vernon when they went 0-10 the year before. I had people tell me we wouldn't win a game and we ended up with a home playoff game."

Rood replaces Randy Walters, who compiled a 5-14 record in two years with the Bearcats. Rood will be Bentworth's fifth football coach since 1999.

Despite the turnover, stability was not a main emphasis in the interview process.

"It never came up," Rood said. "The things they are most concerned with are how you handle things, how you treat the kids and how you approach things. I went there (Tuesday) and had a very positive day. I came away encouraged. It's a good situation and a good community that wants its kids treated well."

Rood has 26 years of high school coaching experience, including the last three as head coach at Belle Vernon. Rood took over a team that finished 0-10 in 2005 and guided the Leopards to consecutive WPIAL Class AAA playoff appearances in 2006 and 2007.

In 2008, Belle Vernon finished 4-6 overall with a 1-5 record in the Big Seven Conference.

A communications teacher at Belle Vernon and a 1972 graduate of the school, Rood also has three years with the Pittsburgh Passion, a professional women's team. Rood was an offensive/defensive consultant for the Passion in 2007 and 2008 and was its head coach in 2004.

He started coaching when Jeff Petrucci, who recently retired from coaching after two years as Ringgold's head coach, hired him as a junior high assistant at Belle Vernon. Rood also has coached at Yough, Hempfield and Elizabeth Forward, where Rood was an assistant for Bentworth High School principal George Lammay.

"I'm really looking forward to the challenge and getting in there and working with the kids," said Rood, who hopes to put together a coaching staff next week. "I'm very happy to be coaching there."

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