One of Connecticut's best known and beloved high school sports writers died Thursday July 24th at the age of 61.

For over 30 years Hal Levy was a key member in helping to advance high school athletics, coaches and players as a writer and editor. Hal was tireless in his efforts to help the CHSCA promote the many programs they have for all high school athletes. This past May at the Coaches Recognition Dinner, despite his illness, Hal introduced the CHSCA Scholarship winners. For him it was a labor of love no different than the many other tasks and stories he is tied to. It is for this and more that his friends at the CHSCA mourn his passing.

Hal Levy was a past president of the Connecticut Sports Writers Alliance as well as its treasurer. He received the Joseph J. Fontana Distinguished Service Award in 1995 from the CHSCA. In 2006 Hal Levy was inducted into the CHSCA Hall of Fame.

Calling hours are Wednesday July 30th from 4-8pm at the B.C. Bailey Funeral Home located on 273 South Elm St. in Wallingford, CT. Memorial contributions can be made to the CT Sportswriters Alliance PO Box 70 Unionville, CT 06085 or to the Coginchaug Benchwarmers c/o John R. Castiglione, 144 Green Ln. Durham, CT 06422.

Kevin Gilbride, Offensive Coordinator of the 2008 World Champion New York Giants, will be honored at The 23rd Annual Franciscan Sports Banquet and Silent Auction on Wednesday, June 4, 2008, at the Aqua Turf Club, Plantsville, Connecticut. The Jim Calhoun Community Service Award will be presented by Coach Calhoun to Paul Pendergast, President and Chief Development Officer for Saint Francis Hospital & Medical Center Foundation. This year’s event is dedicated to Meriden’s Maloney High School Football Coach Rob Szymaszek. He is a past recipient of the Saint Francis Award. Rob died in 2007 after a long battle with cancer. Mr. Robert Fiondella, former Chairman of the Board and CEO of The Phoenix Companies, Inc., and Founding Principal of Jerob Interprises, LLC., and Mr. Raymond Peach, retired Executive Vice President of Hudson United Bank and current Executive Consultant with TD Banknorth, are co-chairs of the event.

The proceeds benefit the programs of the Franciscan Life Center.

This event is sponsored in part by ESPN.


The Silent Auction begins at 5:30 pm. Auction items include: Three Season Tickets to the New York Giants 2008-2009 Season and four Reserved Tickets to a 2008 Boston Red Sox Game including diner at the exclusive EMC Club hosted by Lou Gorman of the Boston Red Sox.
For more information visit our web site at www.flcenter.org, call (203) 237-8084.

On Tuesday April 22nd the UCONN Club will present the prestigious Red O’Neill Award to Ledyard Football Coach Bill Mignault. Coach Mignault in forty-two seasons has four state championships and three hundred eighteen wins-the most of any high school football coach in Connecticut. The award is named after Martin “Red” O’Neill, the first All-American candidate from the UCONN football program.

The awards ceremony starts at 5:45pm at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Cromwell, CT. Tickets are $50. Tickets as well as program/sponsorship ads can be purchased through Ashley Green in care of the UCONN Athletic Development Office (860) 486-9192 or agreen@foundation.uconn.edu

Congratulations Bill from the CHSCA.

Congratulations to Ed Aston and the Cheshire girls swim team for their dual meet record streak of 235 wins dating back to 1986 beating the previous mark set by Elkhart Central High in Indiana. Coach Aston is a CHSCA and NHSACA coach of the year award winner. His colleagues at the CHSCA offer him and his team a hearty well done.

CONNECTICUT HIGH SCHOOL COACHES ASSOCIATION
MERIT AWARD

The purpose of this annual award is to honor high school coaches who have provided exemplary guidance to their student athletes.
It will be presented to a male and female coach at the
CHSCA Outstanding Coach of the Year Banquet in May.

To be eligible, a candidate:

· Must have a minimum of ten (10) years of service as a head high school coach.
· Must have demonstrated a high level of professionalism as a coach.
· Must have demonstrated outstanding service in providing guidance/direction to student athletes.
· Must have earned the respect of student athletes and members of the coaching profession by exemplary sportsmanship
· Must be a member in good standing with the CHSCA

Win/loss records or championships attained are
NOT to be considered in nominating a coach.

The Athletic director and/or principal are requested to submit supporting evidence denoting why the nominee is deserving of this award. A resume for the nominee, as well as a supporting narrative written by a supervisor of the nominee, is required.




SPORT___________________________ DATE_______________

Nominee’s Name_________________________________________
(Last) (First) (Middle)

Home Address___________________________________________
(Number and street)
_______________________ ________ ________
(City) (State) (Zip)

Home Phone ( )__________________ Cell ( )____________

Work Phone ( ) _______________E-mail___________________

School (where you coach/coached)___________________________





CATEGORY I
Membership in the Connecticut High School Coaches Association

Total number of years member of CHSCA ________




CATEGORY II
Coaching tenure
This section applies to the years of service to
Connecticut Student athletes

19___ to 20___ ___________________________ ____________
SCHOOL Number of Years

19___ to 19___ ___________________________ ____________

19___ to 19___ ___________________________ ____________






OFFICIAL CERTIFICATION
I certify that the information disclosed herein is correct.


Date_________ Signed______________________________________(Nominee)

Date_________ Signed__________________________________(Title-AD, Principal)






This form should be completed and mailed to:

Mr. Jerry McDougall
14 Arbutus Lane
Trumbull, CT 06611

Three of Connecticut's best were recognized as national award winners at the National High School Athletic Coaches Association's national convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Joe Tonelli of Notre Dame HS-West Haven was honored as NHSACA Athletic Director of 2007. He was joined by Linda Dirga of Pomperaug HS who was awarded the NHSACA Special Sports-Field Hockey recognition and John O'Connor Branford HS for Swimming and Diving. Congratulations from the CHSCA.

There was a time, long ago, when most high school sports teams functioned without trained coaches. High school students organized their own practices, trained, developed and implemented strategies and competed with only an elected teammate-captain to direct them. Schools provided an adult manager, usually a faculty member, who made arrangements for games and supervised the athletes. The manager’s role was minimal except for the important function of promoting the health and safety of athletes and assuring that high standards of ethical sportsmanship were observed.

CONNECTICUT HIGH SCHOOL COACHES ASSOCIATION
MERIT AWARD

The purpose of this annual award is to honor high school coaches who have provided exemplary guidance to their student athletes.
It will be presented to a male and female coach at the
CHSCA Outstanding Coach of the Year Banquet in May.

To be eligible, a candidate:

• must have a minimum of ten (10) years of service as a head high school coach.
• Win/loss records or championships attained are NOT to be considered in nominating a coach.
• has demonstrated a high level of professionalism as a coach.
• has demonstrated outstanding service in providing guidance/direction to student athletes.
• has earned the respect of student athletes and members of the coaching profession by exemplary sportsmanship
• must be a member of the CHSCA in good standing


The Athletic director and/or principal are requested to submit supporting evidence denoting why the nominee is deserving of this award. A resume for the nominee, as well as a supporting narrative written by a supervisor of the nominee, is required.

For FORM click on MORE.

Here is the due process law enacted in 2004 concerning coaches who have three or more consecutive years of coaching in the same sport. Click on MORE to read the law.

Here is some important insurance information for CHSCA members from Executive Director John Fontana. Click on more to read about the types of coverage you have and who to contact if you have any questions.