Sadly,
Coach Joe Parato passed away in his sleep on January 23rd, at the age of 46. Joe is
mourned by his wife, Maureen, his two children Mike, 13, and Melissa, 6, and many good
friends throughout Howell. A Tribute To Joe Parato
An Outstanding Coach & Sportsman
March '97
When the Hawks, a 7th/8th grade boys' team in the Howell Rec. Basketball league, finished its outstanding season a couple of weeks ago, an important person was missing from the courtside.
And when Pinelanders Youth Soccer Club begins its new season in a couple of weeks, two teams, the Dominators and the Tornadoes, will have unfamiliar coaches encouraging them from the side of the field.
Sadly,
Coach Joe Parato passed away in his sleep on January 23rd, at the age of 46. Joe is
mourned by his wife, Maureen, his two children Mike, 13, and Melissa, 6, and many good
friends throughout Howell.
Joe loved sports and he loved kids, so he was a natural to be a coach in youth sports. He began coaching soccer with Pinelanders several years ago, when Mike joined the club. He named his team the Dominators, and he became one of the club's most dependable coaches. Last spring, when little Melissa turned five, Joe happily signed up to coach the 5 & 6 year old Tornadoes too, and was an instant hit with the club's newest parents.
Like any coach, Joe saw mixed success with his teams over the seasons. But he always guaranteed a competitive game, and - win or lose - he always had a big smile and a friendly word after the game. His attitude on and off the field exemplified the spirit of youth sports: just teach the kids to play and have fun!
But Joe didn't limit himself to soccer - he was an all-round sportsman. For several years he also coached baseball with Howell Central, and basketball with the Howell Rec league, earning the same respect and friendship in those clubs as he did at Pinelanders.
Away from the youth teams, Joe's personal favorite sport was bowling, and he bowled on three leagues at Howell Lanes: the 740 Classic, the Tuesday Night Men's League, of which he was the Vice President, and the Newbury League, where he bowled with Maureen and his friends.
Mention his name to anyone who knew Joe and you'll always hear the same words: he was just a great guy who did a great job, and he's gonna be missed!
Larry Blum coached basketball and baseball with Joe, and he and his wife Chris, close family friends and bowling partners, echoed those words. "He also loved music and dancing," Chris said, "and he enjoyed playing the accordion and keyboard."
Joe Parato stood for Sportsmanship, and in the club's recent newsletter Pinelanders' President Ken Kinelski announced the institution of the Joe Parato Memorial Sportsmanship Award: "a new award for the coach who truly exhibits the sportsmanship that Joe showed to us all." Pinelanders' Spring season will be dedicated to Joe's memory.
He was a great guy who did a great job for a lot of kids. And whether you knew him or not, be assured: he's gonna be missed!
This article appeared in the TriTown News of
Howell, Jackson & Lakewood, March 13th, 1997
Pinelanders Youth Soccer Club
P.O. Box 455, Howell, NJ 07731
(732) 919-2111
Web: http://www.pinelanders.com
e-mail: pinelanders@pinelanders.com