Connecticut High School Coaches Association

Membership

Nearly 30 years ago it became apparent to the nation’s high school coaches that they were not being represented as a profession by the various associations with which they were affiliated. During those years in the 50s and 60s, high school coaches and athletic directors from around the nation were invited to annual sessions of the Division of Men’s Athletics (DMA) of the NEA/AAPHER group. Occasionally, special conferences were scheduled for high school coaches in Washington, D.C., but only as an adjunct of the college phuysical educator-dominated DMA.
It became apparent the high school coaches needed recognition and a national direction. This was in 1964. A key group of high school coaches named a steering committee, with instructions to plan another meeting in Atlanta, Georgia in July, 1965.
The Atlanta meeting in 1965 was intense in discussion and design as to the feasibility of organizing the nation’s high school coaches. Thus, the National High School Athletic Coaches Association was formed.

The Primary Goals and Purposes of the NHSACA

1. To raise the quality and competence of High School Athletic Coaching and administration to the highest level possible through leadership development, educational programs, training sessions and in formative publications.

2. To promote and publicize high school sports and its five million student/athletes through national, state and local award programs.

3. To foster amateur sports programs for boys and girls with national-class skills in a variety of sports which provide social, educational, and competitie opportunities for the students.

4. To promote Drug and Alcohol Prevention among high school students, teacher/coaches and parents in cooperation with the government, law enforcement agencies and educational groups.

Membership
When the NHSACA was formed in the 1960s, membership was about 5,000. From then to the present, membership is now more than 60,000 and continuing to rise. The NHSACA is a solid organization dedicated to the enhancement of the coaching profession.

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Dwight T. Keith Award

The Dwight T. Keith Award is given to recognize and to honor a person who has made an outstanding contribution to high school interscholastic athletics and/or the high school coaching profession. This award was created expressly to honor persons in a non-coaching role. The recipient may be an active coach, but the work for which he or she is being honored must be of a non-coaching nature.
Dwight Keith was a founding member and guiding light of the National High School Athletic Coaches Association through its early years and served as its Executive Secretary from 1965 to 1973.
Past Connecticut recipients of this award are:

• 1978: Tom Monahan, Bristol

• 1982: Joseph J. Fontana, Southington

• 1986: Larry D. McHugh, Middletown

• 1996: John Fontana, Southington

• 2000: Nick Zeoli, Wilton

• 2008: Gary Makowicki, Norwich Free Academy

• 2011: Doug Sharples, St. Bernard

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Connecticut Hall of Fame Winners

NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL COACHES HALL OF FAME CONNECTICUT INDUCTEES

1996: Joseph Fontana

1997: Thomas Monahan, Larry McHugh

1998: Charles Sharos, Frank Crisafi

1999: Jerry McDougall, John Fontana

2000: Jean Hunt, Nick Zeoli

2001: Dan Sullivan, Whitey Piurek

2002: Lindy Remigino, Wally Camp

2003: Frank Robinson, Paul Kuczo

2004: Bob Saulsbury, Joe Folino

2005: Vito Montelli, Dot Johnson

2006: Arlene Salvati, Guy Whitten

2007: Bob Demayo, Ralph King

2008: Jim Penders, James Penders, Sr.

2009: Dave Strong, Irv Black

2010: Ken Kezer, John Hagen

2011: Linda Dirga, John Kuczo

2012: Jack Long, Ed Aston

2013: Bob Cecchini, Cookie Bromage

2014: James Buonocore, Edward Lynch

2015: Laddie Lawrence, Jake Salafia

2016: Tom Malin, Edward McCarthy

2017: Chris Webster, Marty Roos

2018: Gary Makowicki, Louis J. Milardo

2019: Babby Nuhn, Ricky Shook

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COTY Winners

1968 

John “Whitey” Puirek, West Haven, Baseball

1977

Albert Loeffler, Staples (Westport), Soccer

Donald Bates, Berlin, Golf

1980 

Frank Crisafi, East HavenBoys Basketball

1981 

John McVicar, Rocky Hll, Special Sports
Lorraine Splain, Old Saybrook, Golf

1982 

Joe Folino, Staples (Westport), Golf

1983 

John Fontana, Southington, Baseball
Terence Lowe, Greenwich, Swimming

1984 

Ralph King, Brien McMahon (Norwalk), Soccer

1985 

Winifred Hamilton, Westhill (Stamford), Volleyball

1986 

Louis Astorino, Jr. , Hamden, Special Sports

1987 

Nick Zeoli, Wilton, Athletic Director
Art Crouse, West Haven, Special Sports

1988

William Baron, East Hartford, Cross Country

1989

Ken Kezer, New Britain, Baseball

1990

Rod Cyr, Wethersfield, Golf
Ed Ferrigno, Windham, Athletic Director

1991

John “Laddie” Lawrence, Staples (Westport), Cross Country
Joe Janush, North Haven, Soccer
Joan Gauthey, Shepaug Valley (Washington), Special Sports

1992

Charles Sharos, South Windsor, Athletic Director
Vito Montelli, St. Joseph (Trumbull), Boys Basketball
Steve Levinthal, Strafford,  Cross Country
Paul Fako, Ridgefield,  Golf
Joe Piazza, Southington,  Softball
Jack Long, Bacon Academy (Colchester), Girls Track

1993

Jerry McDougall, Trumbull, Football
Valerio Moretti, Hamden,  Soccer
Bruce Douglass, Ledyard, Girls Track

1994

Catherine McGuirk, Branford, Special Sports

1995

Rick Osevick, Greenwich, Golf
Jim Dolan, Joel Barlow (Redding), Soccer
Eileen Crompton, Lewis Mills (Burlington),  Softball
John Pouzzner, Northwestern Reg. #7 (Winsted), Tennis

1996

Roger Ratchford, Fairfield Prep, Golf
Dot Johnson, Granby, Special Sports
Jim Penders, East Catholic (Manchester), Baseball
Dan Sullivan, Windsor Locks, Soccer

1997

Guy Whitten, Wilton, Special Sports
Mike Zotta, RHAM, Soccer

1998

Arlene Salvati, Cheshire, Special Sports
Gil LaPointe, Norwich Free Academy, Girls Cross Country

1999

Cookie Bromage, Enfield, Special Sports
Mike Pitruzzello, Cromwell, Soccer
Robert Haddad, Windham, Track

2000

Gil Varjas, New London, Baseball
Jim Solomon, Hall High (West Hartford), Tennis

2001

Bob Demayo, North Haven
Jim Ford, GuilfordBaseball
(B) Cross Country

2002

David Strong, Masuk (Monroe), Girls Basketball
Abe Breslow, Trumbull, Girls Soccer

2003

Jerry McDougall, Trumbull, Baseball
Gary Makowicki, Norwich Free Academy, Girls Track

2004

Bruce Jaffe, Fairfield Prep, Swimming

2005

Robert Lehr, Southington, Athletic Director
Mark Logan, RHAM (Hebron), Girls Track

2006

Ed Aston, Cheshire, Swimming
Gerry Chester, Griswold, Boys Cross Country
Dan Borgmann, New Canaan, Tennis

2007

Joe Tonnelli, Notre Dame, West Haven, Athletic Director
Linda Dirga, Pomperaug, Southbury, Special Sports
John O’Connor, Branford, Swimming

2009

Jim Cotter, Norwich Free Academy, Softball

2010

Ed Lynch, Simbury High School, Golf
Jim Murray, Avon High School, Girls Soccer

2011

Dave Johnson, Bunnell, Athletic Director
Beth Sarnacki, Cromwell, Special Sports
John Blomstann, E.O. Smith, Boys Soccer

2012

Jeff Bramier, Darien, Special Sports

2013

Jim Ford, Guilford, Girls Cross Country

2014

Robert Orgovan, Amity, Boys Cross Country

Steve Filippone, Hand, Football

Steve Waters, Farmington, Boys Soccer               

Theresa Napalitano, Lauralton Hall, Softball

Carl Reichard, East Lyme, Girls Track

2016

Deb Petruzzello, Middletown, Girls Track

2017

Jeff Gee, Wilton, Girls Cross Country

Laurie LaRusso, Darien, Girls Volleyball

2018

Joe Madaffari, Jr., Brien McMahon, Athletic Director

2019

Patrick Risley, Windham, Wrestling

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