It’s finally time for another high school football season here in the Diocese of Brooklyn. But right from the start, this season has already taken on a different feel.
The St. Francis Prep, Fresh Meadows, community was dealt a huge blow back in February with the passing of longtime varsity football coach Vince O’Connor. O’Connor coached for 62 years at the Prep and became an icon in the both the school and the greater CHSFL.
With the memory of O’Connor fresh in their minds, the L’il Terriers are eager to play out the upcoming season to honor their former coach.
Leading the team on the sidelines will be new head coach Rich Carroll, who served as O’Connor’s main assistant coach for the past six seasons and filled in admirably whenever O’Connor was unable to perform his coaching duties.
The transition process has gone smoothly so far.
“The energy is sky high; the kids are ready to go,” Carroll said. “They came in with a bunch of enthusiasm. The will to win is definitely there.”
Still, there have been some noticeable differences that Coach O’Connor is no longer around.
“For the most part, we stop to take our moments to talk about Coach,” Carroll said. “The first day we stopped and said a prayer. We all know he’s here, and you feel his energy out here. You hear the comments from all the coaches that played under him. You hear things echoing, and you hear those echoing in his voice.”
Plenty of Motivation
One by one, several St. Francis Prep players all said they would be dedicating the season to the legendary coach. In just a few short weeks, that has already given the Terriers plenty of motivation to put in the necessary work to keep improving every day.
“I feel like this year everyone wants to play for Coach O’Connor,” said senior tight end Kirk Johnston. “Last year, he was always at the field even when he was sick. As soon as he called you over, you knew you were in for a good talk. Those 25- or 30-minute conversations are always good.”
“We’re definitely having the season for Coach O’Connor and seasons to come too,” said junior running back Joshua Angvine. “He’s never really gone; he’s always in our hearts.”
That feeling that Coach O’Connor is watching over the team has also helped with the transition. Though he might not be there physically, all the players and coaches still feel his presence.
“Coach O’Connor is always here with us,” said senior defensive end Michael Lynch. “He would always sit in his chair and watch our practices, and it’s like he’s still there. When you look over there, you just know he’s still with us.”
Coach O’Connor’s Legacy
The legend of Coach O’Connor’s time at St. Francis Prep will not soon be forgotten. Of course, the accolades and number of wins he piled up over the years speak for themselves, but it’s the individual approach he took with every member of his program that has cemented his legacy.
“The main thing Coach O’Connor always talked about was creating that personal relationship,” Carroll said. “I find that in our program, it’s really about building character of the young men.
“Football will end for every one of these young men, but you can teach them character, when to do the right thing, how to be humble, the characteristics that will make them great men in the future anywhere they go in their lives.”
Just like Carroll will integrate facets of Coach O’Connor’s style into his own coaching philosophy, the players will be sure to carry on what they learned from their old coach, and it all involves hard work.
“Hard work always beats talent no matter what,” said senior left tackle Alexander Bracco. “It doesn’t matter how big you are or how strong you are. If you work hard, you can take anyone down.”
“Always working hard no matter what,” Lynch said. “No matter the score, no matter what’s going on. Anything can go wrong, just keeping playing with it and always have each other’s backs and just be there for each other.”
As the L’il Terriers get into the bulk of their fall schedule, they know for certain that Coach O’Connor is looking down upon them.
So with that influence and the guidance of Coach Carroll, St. Francis Prep football will be in great hands this season.
Contact Jim Mancari via email at jmmanc@gmail.com.