NBHS Football Coach Ascolese Remembered

Today I wear my Red & Gold in Loving Memory of Mr. Ascolese. It is hard to mourn someone who has left behind such a positive impact on an entire community of people. After reading all of the posts it is clear, he is not being mourned, he is being Celebrated and Honored as he should be! It’s hard to pick just one memory to share… But, if I could just try to put into words an experience from my perspective, one you might not hear about often, being that I am of a rare breed of Female High School Football Statisticians who did it for the LOVE of the GAME! I was told on the first day I reported to the North Bergen High School practice field that I was now part of “the team”. I was to conduct myself as such and I would be treated as such, I believe we both held up our commitment to each other. Trying to tie together four years’ worth of memories that happened 17 years ago is not easy, but there is no shortage of memories. I always carry with me the feeling I got, sitting on a bus in mere silence, surrounded by young men who are full of adrenaline and fire. Knees bouncing. Fists clenched. Muffled sounds from each young man’s headphones. As we drove down Kennedy Boulevard, and the street lights came through the window, I can still see the Uniforms, Red, Gold and White… The stench of lucky socks and season old cleats lingered, but nothing mattered. We sat in silence. Completely mixed backgrounds, faiths, upbringings and for me gender – yet, we were all the same – WE WERE BRUINS. As we would come upon those Friday Night Lights, the shadow of a strong and confident man would appear in the front of the bus… Everyone immediately sat up straight and put their attention forward and in those moments, it was as if time stood still… I could hear the deep voice of Mr. Ascolese reminding us all, WE ARE BRUINS. WE PLAY FOOTBALL. WE LOVE FOOTBALL. WE ARE FOOTBALL. When he spoke, we listened. We hung on every word. WE ARE BRUINS! And just like that, the boys who stepped onto that bus in North Bergen walked off CONFIDENT MEN. Silence became ROARS, you could feel the energy as our boys took the field. Nothing stood between US and the WIN… That year, 1997 to be exact, I was honored to be a part of such an amazing team. We were State Champions. Thank you Mr. Ascolese for so many memories and treating me like one of the guys… My love for you and the sport will forever live on… Dee-Dee Kanhai Photo Courtesy of Bruins Football Website (George Mazetti – 1997)