St. Francis de Sales football honored two former coaches | Tech Reddy

By Christian DiGennaro

BELLE HARBOR – In the coming weeks, when the St. Francis de Salz football players take the field, they will carry not only the names of two former coaches on their jerseys, but also their spirit.

Recently, the goalkeepers of the St. Francis de Sales soccer teams began wearing jerseys in memory of two former coaches, Anthony DiCarlo and John Keane.

DiCarlo was an NYPD detective who died in 2019 at the age of 51 after suffering a heart attack. Keane died earlier this year at the age of 47 from a rare form of cancer.

DiCarlo, who has three daughters – Maria, Daniella and Ariana – coached – created the “Tidal Wave” logo that adorns the players’ uniforms and can be seen on soccer gear on the Rockaway Peninsula.

Along with coaching St. Francis de Sales soccer, DiCarlo teamed up with other parents to help create Cosmos Soccer, now known as TST, which has grown tremendously since its inception.

DiCarlo also coached at Fontbonne Hall, where one of his daughters, Maria, was on his team. Maria has fond memories of her father’s affinity for the St. Francis de Sales football program.

“My father was in the fields at Fort Tilden every weekend. Covering them, mowing grass, putting equipment in sheds, fixing targets. Your father made it,” he said. “He was always looking to design new St. Francis de Sales clothing for children. … When are [St. Francis de Sales Soccer Director] Kathleen Tomassetti came up with the idea of ​​wearing the goalie jerseys as a tribute to her, and I knew it was perfect.

Keen also left a lasting impression, with his five children — Aiden, Lily, Dylan, Finn and Emma — ranging in age from 6 to 18. Over a period of 15 years, he coached four of their teams. Francis de Sales Football.

“Coach Keane was my first football coach,” former player Giovanni Mazzola said. “When I changed churches after Sandy, I was new and didn’t know anyone. He made me feel really comfortable and always encouraged me. We’re not the best team, but he made sure we had a lot of fun and felt good about ourselves.”

Keane’s wife, Christy, said John isn’t a soccer player, but that hasn’t stopped him from coaching, offering to help or covering practices and games when needed.

“He was a loving and caring father who always wanted to be there for his children,” she said. “He gets a lot of joy from seeing his name on the shirts and it means a lot to our whole family.”