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WEIRTON -- A little over a year after stepping aside as Oak Glen's head coach, Ted Arneault Jr. is once again a head football coach in the Ohio Valley -- and back where his coaching days started.
Arneault, who guided the Golden Bears for six years and to two Class AA state semifinal runs, was announced as the next head football coach at Madonna High School in a press release from the school on Friday afternoon.
"I'm excited to get started," Arneault said. "I'm going to meet the kids (on Saturday) and am looking forward to it."
Arneault, who returned to Oak Glen as an assistant to former Madonna coach Doug Taylor last season, had departed the Golden Bears following the 2021 season to pursue a foray into politics, running for Hancock County commissioner in 2022.
Arneault is no stranger to Madonna, as he was a teacher in the school system from 2006-10 and the head coach of the Junior Don football program during that time. The Junior Dons had an undefeated season in 2009.
"Being at Madonna is special to me because it's where I began my career in education," he said. "Madonna is kind of like coming home. My first position was as the Junior Dons head coach and that group of kids ultimately went on to win a state championship with Doug Taylor. I was hired by my great friend and mentor Al Boniti at St. Joseph the Worker moved on to different places from there, but it all started there.
"It has all kind of come full circle, back to the future."
Currently he is the principal of Weirton Elementary.
Among his coaching accolades are 2019 WVSSAC Class AA Coach of the Year and HSDT All-Area Coach of the Year honors the same year and a finalist for OVAC Coach of the Year in 2020.
He was Oak Glen's Teacher of the Year in 2016. He led the Golden Bears from 2016-21, and has also had roles at Weir High, Brooke and Robert Morris University during his career. Oak Glen was the 2019 OVAC Class 4A champion under Arneault, the school's first 10-0 regular season.
"Coach Arneault is an excellent addition to Madonna High School," Madonna Principal Phil Rujak said in the press release announcing Arneault's hiring. "His background in education and coaching will have a huge impact on our program and our student athletes. Ted is not only a quality coach, but his is a quality person as well."
The young talent at Madonna is exciting for Arneault, as is the unique challenge of coaching small school football.
"I think there is a lot to be excited about at Madonna," Arneault said. "It's different at a smaller school. Each and every player is critical. It's exciting to be at a smaller school environment because it can be more intimate and you really get a chance to work with kids 1-on-1 in a lot more situations and develop your players. That's exciting."
Arneault replaces Mauro Monz, who guided the Blue Dons to a 5-5 mark in is first and only season at the helm this past fall.
"I had a great experience and wish everyone great success next season," Monz said Friday.