ATHLETIC AWARDS REUNION

Chaminade looks to honor its athletic programs and contributors from its storied 93-year history

The ties between the alumni of Chaminade and its esteemed athletics program are well-known. Chaminade hosts numerous events and gatherings to bring together alumni from across the generations and around the country, all in the effort to maintain that connection established during their time spent at 340 Jackson Avenue. The bonds formed in high school are ones that are lifelong, and the Office of Alumni Relations helps Flyers continue to feel like members of the Chaminade Family. The newest alumni event is the Athletic Awards Reunion, which brings together alumni to share their memories and recollections of their time spent on the field, court, mat, ice, or pool, as well as to honor those who have helped make Chaminade athletics what they are today. The first such event was held on February 11, honoring the following athletes, coaches, and programs.

The Honorees

Before becoming Chaminade’s newest athletic director, Mr. John Honerkamp '93 served as the track and cross-country representative on the Alumni Board. It was there that he and other sports chairmen saw the potential for an opportunity to bring together alumni while also honoring some of Chaminade’s most revered coaches and teams. “My experiences at cross-country and track reunions were basically a timed mile followed by hot dogs and soda in the courtyard. The most successful reunion we had was when Bill Carriero retired, and we all had an extra special reason to get together. So, the Alumni Board created the Athletic Awards Reunion to help get more alumni back on campus,” Honerkamp remarked.

From that initial thought, the idea of an Athletic Awards Reunion began to slowly take shape. The Alumni Board created a committee, led by Vice President Bob O’Brien ’79, to coordinate the event and make the honoree selections. The goal was to bring together alumni through the shared experience of being student athletes while at Chaminade. The school also wanted to acknowledge the contributions of coaches and teams that left an indelible mark on Chaminade. Mike Martin ’10, Alumni Board and reunion committee member, explained the committee’s objectives, “Our rich tradition of athletic excellence always leads back to not just former teammates, but to the coaches who molded us into student-athletes that thrived on the field and in the classroom. This event is a great way to honor the teams and coaches who are immortalized in Chaminade athletics.”

In terms of honoring coaches, there was really no better place to start than Coach Bill Basel ’58, whose record of achievement and legacy of teaching and coaching has few peers. Surely Coach Basel is just the first of many coaching icons to be honored. The honor and its significance have not been lost on him. “I was in the US Army stationed in Germany in 1961, so I have little remembrance of the 1961 Football Team. However, my first coaching experience at Chaminade [in 1967] was with Tom Kiley, who was a member of that team. Over the years, in addition to Tom, I have become close friends with Chuck Mansfield, Al Groh, and several other members of the 1961 team. I coached the 1978 team when they were sophomores, and we won the CHSFL JV Championship, going undefeated with a 9-0 record. Great group of athletes.”

The 1989 Basketball Team was led by Coach Jim Quinn, longtime physical education teacher and basketball coach at Chaminade. This was the first Varsity Basketball Team at Chaminade to secure the NSCHSAA Championship in addition to the 1988 Haggerty Tournament. For Phil DeLuca ’89, a member of that championship squad, his coach’s quiet leadership still sticks out. “I actually had the privilege of playing for Coach Quinn as both a JV player as well as during my senior year when he was bumped up to head coach the varsity team in 1988. Quinn was, and still is, a humble, gentle giant, but a fierce competitor. In the hallways, he was quiet, soft spoken, almost shy in a way, but once game time came around, he would put on his suit and tie, and his competitive juices would flow. He prided himself on preparation. His plan of attack included disciplined, structured offensive sets that our team would practice until perfection. On the defensive side, Coach Quinn incorporated various schemes of man coverage and zones, constantly mixing them during gameplay never to allow opponents to settle in. We were conditioned to run all day. During games, he was always respectful to the referees and was very animated, commonly running up and down the sidelines, occasionally razzing us, questioning how is it that he was able to be the first one back on 'D.' His experience and passion for the game were evident, and to lead us to victory in his first year at the varsity helm spoke volumes.”

For some alumni, the event was a chance to catch up with teammates that they haven’t seen in a while. That is true for Liam Morton ’98, member of the 1996-97 and 1997-98 championship cross-country and track teams. “I live in London these days, and there are not too many Chaminade folks here. I have remained friendly with lots of the guys on the team and have kept in touch with the other captains like Mike McKeever, Andy Rupert, and Adrian Mullins. Adrian and I were teammates at Princeton, too. I ran into some of the guys in the Patriot/Ivy League in college at meets and Penn Relays, but it's been a long time. One of the younger throwers, Alex Pessala, who broke my hammer/weight records, I saw a few times at Princeton, too,” remarked Morton. “It was great to get together with everyone.”

This year’s Athletic Awards Reunion also had a very special guest. Mike Vaccaro ’85 served as the master of ceremonies. Vaccaro, lead sports writer for The New York Post, provided context to all of the players, coaches, and teams being honored.

The future of the Athletic Awards Reunion is bright and will no doubt bring together former Flyers, reminiscing debates of whose team was better, which coach left a bigger mark, which player was the best. Chris Fitzpatrick ’05, Alumni Board and reunion committee member stated, “I’m so happy to see Chaminade creating an event for alumni to come together and celebrate their shared experiences. I have so many foundational memories of my teammates, my coaches, and the challenges we overcame together, and I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling that way.”

Kyle Gentile ’06, Alumni Board and reunion committee member further commented, “We want to bring that same sense of overall camaraderie that we had as student-athletes to the alumni base in creating an environment where we can celebrate all things Chaminade athletics through the Athletic Awards Reunion.” For Phil DeLuca, whose son John is carrying on the family tradition as a member of the Freshman Basketball Team this year, the reunion is a great way to reconnect. “When you graduate from Chaminade, there is a sense of great accomplishment and pride from enduring the experience. While everyone’s individual experience is unique, there is a commonality and culture at Chaminade that connects us all and draws us back like a moth to a flame,” remarked DeLuca.

Most importantly, the idea of Fortes in Unitate, once fostered on the athletic field, carries over today, long after the final buzzer sounds, the last out is made, and the final whistle blows.