Eric Zipay, Pottstown High School 1998 graduate credits his teachers and coaches for helping him develop a set of principles that have helped him on a 21 year career to become a successful educator, coach and administrator. He was recently named the principal of Simon Gratz High School in Philadelphia. He graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2003 with a major in business education and a minor in computer science. He has earned two master's degrees. He was a starter on the IUP rugby team that competed at the division one level and participated in the final four national championships. After college he joined the teaching staff of Simon Gratz High School, and has been there for 21 years during that time, he has been a teacher, athletic director, coach, assistant principal and now principal. Head football coach for 16 years his teams amassed 117 wins and five public league championships. He’s responsible for helping develop a foundation for students built on excellence in academics, community service, and athletics. His message to PHS students is to build a solid foundation, making sure to have the right circle of friends and mentors around you, as well as build the habits for a healthy and productive future. If your habits and friends aren’t moving in a positive direction, have the confidence to step back and change. Change takes courage and must be faced head on. Zipay credits much of his success to the experiences as a young person in Pottstown, he said, there were struggles and challenges, but overcoming those made me better equipped to face anything. You have to know how to get back up, overcome adversity, and work with others. I was fortunate to have teachers and coaches, who supported me and made a difference in my world people like Mr. Sparagana, Goodhart, Armato, Mick, Wallace ,Thomas and Morton were all mentors who I knew had my back, but they were also there to hold me accountable when I got off path. Please help share the good news of another reason to say, proud to be from Pottstown.