Jan 8, 2023 9 min read

The many hats Terry Havelka has worn at Burgettstown High School always looked just right on his head.

The fact is, Havelka and Burgettstown were meant to be together.

As an athlete, coach, athletic director, educator and mentor, Terry Havelka got straight As in each role.

While it would be difficult to quantify what Havelka meant to each program, one thing is clear, he was a standout athlete – especially in football and wrestling – and he is one of the best wrestling coaches in Washington County and WPIAL history.

“We were competitors and have been long-time friends,” said Guy Montecalvo, former football coach at Washington and Canon-McMillan High Schools and former athletic director for the Big Macs. “No question in my mind his greatest accomplishment at Burgettstown was in developing programs and building traditions.

“In every program he touched, he built a standard that has prevailed many years. A school can lose a tradition quickly. They have not at Burgettstown and Terry had so much to do with that.

“He was blessed to have Jon Vallina as a mentor and to have worked with (former football coach) Rege Onderik and to have his brother Gary at his side. They produced successful programs, an athletic administration and disciplined athletes.”

Terry Havelka, 65, built the Blue Devils wrestling program back into a consistently good program with plenty of top-notch teams and individual components year-after-year.

Burgettstown has been upper echelon in Class AA for a long time now. It’s no different this season. Through the early season, the Blue Devils are the WPIAL’s top Class AA team.

His former pupil, Joey Vigliotti, now runs the show. It’s because of Havelka’s work, commitment and love of sport and competition through his long tenure that the Blue Devils ranked near the top.

“It was early in my teaching career and we had an opening right after Terry graduated from William and Mary,” said Jon Vallina, former golf and wrestling coach and one of the greatest athletic directors in state history. “We were excited to get him on staff. It worked out for him and better for the Burgettstown School District. He instilled pride in the community, in the school and in his programs. He always instilled real good discipline.

“Terry made sure kids understood – whether it be behavior, taking care of facilities and leaving things in the best conditions they could be in.

“While our facilities may not have been elite, they looked good, were clean and well taken care of. He was proud of them and he instilled that pride in others.”

Havelka served as Burgettstown’s head wrestling coach 23 seasons. He coached in the program 37 years, an assistant to Joe Nicolella at first.

He retired from teaching in May 2016 and then from wrestling. He left as the 24th winningest coach in WPIAL wrestling history with a 242-101 record and .706 winning percentage. He coached with former Canon-McMillan coach Chris Mary in the 2010 Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic.

Havelka played three seasons at quarterback for the Blue Devils and in 1974 was All-Conference and led Burgettstown to the playoffs. Burgettstown lost to Albert Gallatin, the eventual WPIAL champions, in the first round. He went on to play at William and Mary.

“I didn’t know Terry the competitor, but as a coach he was somebody that I looked up to, somebody that I would call for advice,” said Phil Mary, a two-time state wrestling champion for Chartiers-Houston, successful coach and current principal at his alma mater. “His success is not a surprise. He works hard and had great support from his brother Gary. They are both old school – work hard and good things happen.

“No doubt, we joke about when you cut him open, he will bleed blue and white. He has grandchildren coming through now in basketball and volleyball. He attends all the games. He was here at Chartiers-Houston (recently) for boys’ basketball. There are a lot of similarities between Chartiers-Houston and Burgettstown. We are very passionate in what we do and how the community supports the programs.

“Terry’s well respected. When you see him at a WPIAL event or Powerade (wrestling tournament), there are always people around him – talking to him and saying hello. He says that he’s been practicing social distancing before the pandemic, but I don’t believe it, he enjoys the comradery.”

A Shining Star

To know Terry Havelka is to admire him for his dignity, sincerity and loyalty.

He’s faced tough times and his strength is apparent. He’s enjoyed good times and his humility and gratefulness shine through.

Havelka had two children with his wife Stacy, who passed away more than 17 years ago, a son Jeff and a daughter Teri Lyn.

“It was a tough time,” the senior Havelka said.

His children and work sustained him.

“When you do something a long time, it becomes more than a job, it’s a way of life,” Havelka said. “I miss the competition and the good times. I don’t miss the long nights in the gym. Burgettstown was a good fit for me. Nothing is a eutopia. There’s always different issues and adversities. But I had so much fun and so many people who were so helpful.

“We coached and taught the kids and we wanted them to behave in a certain way. I was not one to rant and rave. But I would and will always stand up for them. They knew that and I’m proud of that.”

Havelka was aware of how teachers and coaches can influence kids. He was a master at modeling the behavior he sought from them.

“When you are in the public eye people notice behaviors and attitudes,” he said. “You have influence and those kids are watching your every move and people examine how you act and carry yourself.

“I had an opportunity to help move them in a positive direction, to show them how to act in public and how to deal with others in a decent way.”

Havelka married his high school sweetheart. Stacy passed away in October 2005. He helped Jeff get through college amid the difficult time and raised his daughter Teri Lyn.

The Havelkas are a tight family and sticking together and making it through is second nature.

He has two brothers, Chuck, who is three years older, and Gary three years younger. The youngest Havelka is a long-time district justice.

As an 18-year-old, Gary lost his leg in an accident. He and Terry were close and big brother was there.

“As an athlete, ever since we were young kids, Terry was the leader of our group,” said Gary Havelka. “He always exhibited natural leadership qualities as an athlete, coach, administrator and bigger brother. Terry was my idol and he always set a good example for kids who looked up to him and one of them was me. He’s my big brother and best friend and has more impact on my life than anybody except for my father.

“He helped me mentally after my accident. It’s not easy being 18 and wake up and your leg is gone. Terry was there for me. He used to throw balls to me while I sat in a wheelchair. He would not let me quit or give up. Terry’s just the type of man you don’t want to let down. You want to live up to his standard and have his winning attitude.”

Building Burgettstown

Havelka remains a presence in the Burgettstown community. He still attends athletic events. He has his eyes on it all.

His way of doing things continues to influence the Blue Devils.

“It takes a lot of time and effort to be good and to become consistently good or competitive,” Terry Havelka said. “I was so fortunate to work with people like Jon, my brother, Rege, Brad Abbott who were willing to put in the time for our kids and program to succeed. Rege had an amazing grasp of football. He had a way of teaching the game and getting those kids to believe him and work for him. They adored him. You can’t measure what Jon did for Burgettstown.

“Brad and Gary spent so much time coaching varsity and then spent hours developing our young kids. It’s why those very kids are now coaches in the program today. It takes hours and hours of work and effort.”

Montecalvo said Havelka’s influence wasn’t so predicated on his athletic or wrestling knowledge but his personal traits and approach.

“Terry is genuine, sincere and compassionate,” Montecalvo said. “It’s why his kids, athletes and students have such an affinity for him.

“The people in Burgettstown are fortunate to have him. He took on a role and just developed it and left a legacy that continues to touch so many.”

Havelka, himself, has had to overcome a health issue but has not skipped a beat. He could probably still coach – maybe not in a lead role – and has mulled the possibilities.

“I don’t think so,” Havelka said. “It has crossed my mind and I have even discussed it with Guy. I have kind of settled into retirement. At this stage, I don’t think so.”

Said brother Gary: “Terry was never a guy who needed to be in the forefront. He knew what he contributed and what he did. Our kids were disciplined and they represented Burgettstown the way he wanted it known. He always tried to treat everyone in the same fashion. It’s a product of how we were raised. Terry’s a humble guy, good person, good human and a good family man.”

Concluded Vallina: “Terry made sure everything was in order and he worked hard so there would never be any problems. He has that kind of pride and the kids understood that and fell in line.

“Burgettstown was always in good hands with Terry.”