Legendary Enfield Coaching Couple to Be Roasted

ENFIELD, CT — More than a century of high school coaching dedication by one of northern Connecticut's most beloved husband-wife tandems will be celebrated at an upcoming dinner in their honor.

Bob and Cookie Bromage, who coached scholastic sports for 54 and 52 years, respectively, mainly at Enfield High School, will be roasted at La Notte Restaurant, 17 Thompson Rd. in East Windsor, on Saturday, Jan. 18 from 4-9 p.m.

Tim Jensen, one of the event organizers, clarified, "We are calling it a testimonial dinner because, while we will have plenty of people lined up to roast Bob, you just can't roast Cookie."

Bob Bromage began coaching baseball as an assistant to Carl Angelica at Enfield in 1966, and took over the head coaching slot a year later. He put in 39 years at the helm of the Raiders, guiding the team to the Class L state championship game in 2001. He retired three years later, but was called back into service on a short-term basis by East Granby High School in 2005. That "temporary stay" lasted 15 years with 10 state tournament appearances, including a quarterfinal run in 2008. He also coached basketball at Enfield for more than a decade, and served as an assistant football coach and Kosciuszko Junior High School hockey coach. He was elected to the Enfield Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001.

Cookie Bromage started the Enfield field hockey program in 1967 and patrolled the sidelines for 52 years, leading the Raiders to Class M state championships in 1983, 1984, 1992, 1993 and 1994. She has been inducted into halls of fame eight times, including the charter class in Enfield in 1996. The turf playing surface at the school was dedicated in her honor in September, and in April, she will receive the prestigious Gold Key Award from the Connecticut Sports Writers Alliance (CSWA), an honor previously bestowed upon the likes of Gordie Howe, Willie Pep, Geno Auriemma, Joan Joyce and Enfield's own Craig Janney.

In 2015, the Bromages were recognized by the CSWA with the Bo Kolinsky Special Recognition Award, in commemoration of their unprecedented 100 combined years of high school coaching.

Tickets to the dinner are $35, with advance payment required, and may be reserved by sending checks to Lynn Piemonte, 121 Bridge St., Suffield, CT 06078, or Venmo to @Lynn-Piemonte.