COACHES CORNER: Paragano's Leadership Builds Fencing Powerhouse

Recently, Patch caught up with Gov. Livingston fencing coach Vince Paragano,  who has turned the program into a state power in just seven years, earning more than 200 wins along the way.

1.    How long have you been coaching this sport? How many years at this school?

I began coaching in 1976.   I originally coached baseball and soccer.   I moved over to fencing when my son was old enough to compete in foil and saber.  

Along with a few other parents and former fencers, in 2001, I helped to organize and start the Bernards High School Varsity Fencing team mainly so that my son would have a high school team of his own.   I became that team’s first foil coach.

In 2005, Bernards High School’s Board passed a rule that parents of varsity athletes could not coach their children.   That applied to all sports at Bernards.  My daughter was a foilist on the Bernards team at that time, so it meant that Daddy had to go.

I started coaching at GL in November 2005.   I am now in my 7^th season.

2.    What made you decide to get into coaching?

I always liked playing sports.   They were an escape for me when I was going through a really rough time as a kid.   I especially loved baseball with a passion.  The things that intrigued me most were the preparations for big competitions and the strategy of the games.   Being a varsity coach at the high school level gives me the opportunity to do both things.   Each year there are new athletes coming into the program and new challenges.

3.  Talk about the program history under your watch; championships, most memorable game and/or moment in your career.

I am proud of the achievements of our GL Fencing teams over my tenure.   We have 4 State Championships (so far):  2009 Girls Saber Squad Champions, 2009 Boys Saber Squad Champions, 2009 NJSIAA Girls

State Team Champions, 2011 Santelli Girls State Champions.

We also have 2 team District Crowns:   2009 Boys District 3 Team Champions and 2011 Girls District 3 Team Champions.    We even have a National Champion in Saber (Beverly Yang, 2007 National Division 3 Saber Champion)

We have had at least one team in the “Final Four” playoffs in the past 5 years.   We just won our 200th dual meet victory as a program.   That is a far way from where we started (without equipment, a gym or even a girls squad).

However, I am most proud of the fact that we currently have 15 alumni fencing in the NCAA ranks on college teams at Yale, Stevens, Lafayette, Duke, Johns Hopkins, Rutgers, NYU and Cornell, among others.  

My most memorable game was a playoff game at Columbia High School’s home gym in the semi-finals of the Girls Sweet-16 in 2009.   No one gave us a chance to win there.   Columbia was the defending champion and we were at their home.    We brought a busload of fans and our whole guys team was there to cheer.   We turned the Columbia HS game into a virtual home game for us.   We ended up winning 15-12 and went on to defeat Holy Angels and then Northern Highlands to win the state championship.

4.  Talk about your team this year.

Our boys and girls teams are currently ranked #4 and #6, respectively, by the Newark Star Ledger.   We have 5 players going to the 2012 Junior Olympics in Salt Lake City.   Our boys team just won the Team Silver Medal at the 2012 Cetrulo State Tournament.   Both teams are very balanced, with good talent across all 3 weapons.   That should help us come play-off time.

5.  Who are your players to watch and why?

On the boys team, our 3 saber starters – Jason Yang, Eric Shen and Ryan Donohue – have been tough to beat.   That team is also anchored by Eric Weng on foil and by epeeist David Jennings.

The girls team has Cornell-bound Alaina Uhouse in saber and foilists Grace Boyle and Vivian Chu.    The big key to the playoffs will be how our girls epee squad performs.    None of the members of that squad (Lauren Gonnelli, Jacelyn Greenwald and Alaina Jennings) have ever been starters and all are only sophomores.   Yet, thanks to a lot of off-season work, they are making a name for themselves.

6.   Talk about your team captain (s) and what makes them so important to the team on and off the field/court.

For a sport that is dependent on one-on-one “combat”, we rely heavily on team unity, preparation and camaraderie.   Those factors have been the key to our success over the short span of time that we have been a program.   Our current Captains, Brittin Boenning and Zach Friedlander, were raised in this program and fit perfectly.    They are terrific leaders in everything from team-building activities, to warm-ups, to coaching their teammates during events.

Unfortunately, our 3rd Captain (Colleen Reilly) was hurt in an accident at school and has not been with us at all this season.   With some luck, she will be back with us next year – adding her experience and tenacity to the team.

7.    What are your goals for the team this year.

Simple: Win the District, Get into the “Sweet-16’s”, Do well at the Squad State Tournament, (maybe) win another State Championship and, most of all, help to get our seniors into some very good college fencing programs.

8.    What is the most enjoyable part of your job?

Helping the kids learn the life lessons of teamwork, personal responsibility and attention to detail through fencing.   I especially like it when an athlete asks me for help with strategy or to work on a specialized technique.   It tells me, “Coach, they respect what you are doing and are deferring to your expertise.”   What could be better than to get that respect?