KEVIN J. STONE | NEW ENGLAND FOOTBALL JOURNAL
Not only is Renegades running back Katie Falkowski preparing for another postseason run and quest for a four-peat, but she’s also diving into the Barnstable High School playbook in her downtime.
Falkowski announced she is the newest member of the Red Hawks coaching staff on Monday, taking an offensive assistant role.
“The Barnstable Football program is so fired up to have Katie Falkowski joining our staff this fall!” Barnstable head coach Ross Katkola tweeted on Monday. “Katie is going to be a huge addition to the program on the field, in the weight room and in the community. We are lucky to have her!”
“I have loved football my entire life and have been coaching different sports in some capacity since I was 16, so joining the Barnstable Football coaching staff is something I’m incredibly excited about,” Falkowski said via email Monday afternoon. “I’m ready to contribute and help the team achieve its goals while also learning from the rest of the staff and continuing to grow in my football knowledge and as a coach.”
Falkowski has bounced around quite a bit, but there has been one common theme to all of her opportunities in life: helping people and raising the bar for others.
Falkowski helped start the ice hockey team at Sandwich High School in 2004 and played hockey at Holy Cross. “It’s also where I fell in love with the weight room under my Strength and Conditioning Coach, Jeff Oliver,” she said. Directly out of college, Falkowski attended grad school at Creighton University and got a Master’s in Education. From there, she taught for three years in Rapid City, South Dakota, while also coaching girls’ high school hockey, middle school track, and one year of high school football under head coach Wayne Sullivan at St. Thomas Moore High School.
“At the time, I had no experience playing football, but I have always believed that good coaching translates across sports, so I learned a ton from the success of the STM program and coaching staff,” she explained. In 2011, Falkowski headed back to the Cape and opened CrossFit Hyannis, which she was the owner and head coach at until selling the gym this past spring.
So for the last decade, Falkowski has spent her time training adults and spending most of her time in the gym training and coaching others. Now, she’s looking to help Barnstable, not even thinking about it when the opportunity presented itself.
“When Ross reached out to me in the spring to see if I would be interested in coming on board with the Barnstable Football program I didn’t hesitate,” she said. “I knew right away this would be a great fit, in both how I could add value to the team with my experience as a coach, athlete, and strength and conditioning coach and also a way for me to continue to learn from Ross, the rest of the coaching staff, and the team.”
The Red Hawks are gaining some valuable championship experience with Falkowski. The Renegades are truly a dominant force in the WFA and a fourth straight championship in a few weeks would only cement that legacy. You can’t find that type of credibility everywhere.
“In 2020 I found the Boston Renegades and have the amazing opportunity to play running back for this championship organization,” Falkowski said. “We have great coaches, including John Johnson (HC) and former New England Patriot Vern Crawford (OC), who I have learned a ton from. Their patience, passion, and knowledge of the game are second to none- and I’m fortunate to play for such great coaches.
“Last year we won the National Championship at the Pro Football Hall of Fame- which has been one of the highlights of my athletic career. It’s an organization that strives for excellence and expects the full effort of all involved- and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be a part of it.”
A championship or bust mentality and a full commitment from the new assistant on offense should be a huge boost both on and off the field for the Red Hawks.
“I am an “all in” type of person, so I’m fully committed and fired up to be part of the Barnstable football program,” Falkowski added. “I’m eager to help the team achieve success on and off the football field.”