In my final post for my tribute to coaches the last 10 days I would like to thank those of you that participated in the comments. Today I will be posting on a personal note. I will be posting the 4 coaches that had a great influence on me during my playing days in sports. Most of you might not be interested but in honor of Coaches Week, I must put these 4 great men on my blog. Enjoy!
Rich Cotrona (basketball 1987-1990) - I started playing youth basketball at a younger age, so when it was time for my third season of instructional basketball over at the Meriden Boys Club, my father thought that it would be best to play up a year. For 3 seasons at the Junior Varsity level, Rich Cotrona was my coach and he taught me how to be a point guard that can control the entire game. I really grew as a basketball player with him showing me the ropes. He made me understand how important my position was on the floor and the game was in my control. Little did I know that my future "brother from another" would end be on my team my second season with coach Cotrona. And you can ask anybody at that time or maybe just me, but me and Rob Dow were the Shaq and Kobe of the city our final year in Junior Varsity, which (sorry Pitbull) brought home a city title after a terrible season a year ago. During that title game, I was playing awful. But coach told me late in the game to shoot the ball if I am open, which led to me hitting the game winner with 7 seconds remaining. Cotrona was a major factor for me and Rob as basketball players and I will never forget the time he was our coach.
Ralph Carey (soccer 1990-1991) - Though I never got a chance to play baseball for this legendary Little League coach, he was very influential for 2 seasons as a soccer coach at the Varsity Level in the city's youth league. Ralph, never Mr. Carey, knew how to get the best out of me on the field and it certainly worked. I never in my life scored more goals in a two-year stretch than when Ralph was my coach. Winning was everything to Ralph, but what was more important was how you won. For two seasons he took us to two semi-final appearances with mostly baseball players on his team. What he was great about was giving us pain. He use to bring is son, who was huge, to punt the balls to us in which we had to head or chest...or else. Long term it was good for us. One thing I do remember besides the two heartbreaking semi-final losses was, my last year with him he told me to eat a steak before the game to give me a hungry edge. I thought that the man was nutz, well I did it! And scored 4 goals in that game. Ralph is no longer with us and I can probably speak for everybody that has played for Ralph that we are all privileged and were better players for having him.
Pete Daniels (baseball 1994-1995) - No coach, including my father, drove me harder than Coach Daniels. When coach really became my mentor my sophomore season, I had a dislike for the game something that had never happened. He made me love the game again, and showed me how great this game is as well as how good I could be. Even though I will give most of my credit to my father after a sub par sophomore season, Daniels was really my driving force. Man did he work me in practice, he gave me "balls" so to speak. He loved my swing and gave me confidence that I could hit anybody at anytime. This really made me, probably the only one, to be successful against the Maloney and Platt baseball programs every game. If he ever saw me try to do too much at the plate he would see it right away and correct it. Daniels really was instrumental for Wilcox Tech winning the CVTC Conference title in 1995 something that hadn't happened for a very long time, and me personally as I was a 1st team All-Conference secondbasemen. Though I could have killed him after he called me to tell me that he was not returning for my senior season, he was the one that made me love the game again and stayed in touch with me my final season which led to being the Conference MVP. One story I would love to tell...one game my soph. season I made an error at second he was yelling at me to keep my head in the game. I waved my hand at him like, "I got it, leave me alone." Well at the end of the inning, he beat me to the foul line and continued to yell in my face for showing him up which led to me getting soaked in tobacco juice. Never did that again!
Dennis Redican Sr. (soccer 1985-89, 1995 - baseball birth) - I kid him all the time for this, but this man was my general while he was my coach, and I had to do everything he asked no matter what. But, I can honestly say that I was the smallest/do everything kid in sports because of him. He taught me that my heart has to be bigger than any opponent, in any sport, no matter what. I can talk all day about this man but I am sure that most of you already know how influential he was to me growing as a player. So instead let's get into some stories.
In baseball, he was coaching me even when he wasn't my coach. Countless hours of time spent after his practices, grew me as a ball player.
Every time he took me out of the game in little league as a pitcher it felt like I disappointed him and I would cry, it was pathetic.
My last season in little league as a 12-year old he forced me into being a catcher, which I hated. But it ended up me being one of the best in the league and I remember not making the All-Star team that season. The playoffs began and the all-star team was practicing and during our practice he continued to yell loud enough for the all-stars to hear how great I was doing behind the plate.
In soccer my senior year at Wilcox, I thought coaching high school was out of his league but it led to us finishing a tie away from making the state tournament because of his countless hours learning the game by reading or watching videos.
Him spitting while yelling at us in practice which cause me and Rob to start laughing.
And of course, i received a yellow card during a game and I went to the sidelines to which he asked what I did and I told him that I swore at the ref. So he said,
"Well you sit for ten minutes and think about what you did!" Ahh memories! Love ya pops!
17 comments:
honorable mentions...
noel gonzalez (soccer 1992-1994)
joe frascatore (basketball 1992-1994)
jim page (basketball 1991-1992)
With all due respect to everyone else on this list...Ralph Carey was the G.O.A.T
my honorable mention:
*Dan Murdzek - led me & Heavy's Senior League team to CT State & New England titles...also one of the gr8est Beer-Die players of all-time...
*Steve Tolley - The Bob Knight of Meriden Soccer...
*Gene Overstrum - Gave away more free stuff than any coach in Meriden history...
murdz is a good one.
tolley i remember was a wacko.
and i think that i can speak for most and say the only thing good about gene was the he volunteered alot of his time.
Mr. Page, should be given the most kudos. He had to deal with a team that consisted of both you characters. Mr. Page is a Saint.
If I was the complete 'Meriden Coach' , I would work as hard as Howie during basketball games and take my team to Florida to play better competition like Aresco. I would coach past retirement like Tom Johnson and fight through the tough times like his assistant Gonyea. I would have Szymaszek's passion and practice, Tom Ryan's off-season work-out, Katz's presence and knowledge, and Redican's patience and commitment.
for me i would only need two heads, ray lamay who coached me in baseball, soccer, and basketball. the other would be coach mike falis- the maloney oline coach.
adam ant
It is unfortunate that none of you had the opportunity to play for Coach Zajac, but he was a man that took a young, firey Pitbull and taught him how to play baseball the right way. I can't say that I have had alot of good coaches throughout my athletic career but I can't put into words the amount of respect and love I have for this man.
Timmy, I agree with Ryan's off-season workouts. Although I never played for Szymaszek or Falis, they've both greatly influenced they way I approach the game as a coach. Szymaszek had a way of talking to you and making you feel like there's nothing you couldn't achieve. He had a way of inspiring you to be something great. It's not to hard see why so many of his players would've done ANYTHING this man asked of him, no more matter what the cost. Coach Falis, with whom I worked with @ Meriden Mfg. for 2+ years, would routinely stop by my desk to talk football, no matter what time of year it was. This man has a greater knowledge of the game than many people realize. His willingness to meet with young coaches and share his knowledge can not be appreciated enough. As for passion, I think anyone who played for Mr. O'Brien will tell you he's second to none. The meer sight of the man gives me flashbacks, like a war veteran during 4th of July fireworks, to being 12 years old him having my facemask in one hand and a Bud heavy in the other and cussing me out because I let my heels touch the ground during leg-lifts after keeping the 6" for damn near 5 minutes!! All of these men have attributed to the football coach that I am and strive to be. Deez great job with this piece, and great comments by everybody.
I can personally say that I'm not sure if there's any greater feeling in this world than running into a former player that you watched grow up before your eyes as player years down the road looking each other in the eyes and hearing him still call you "coach".
-Mif
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