WPCNR VIEW FROM THE UPPER DECK. October 18, 2008: Coach has died. Pleasantville High School’s coach of 32 years, Peter Kurachek died this week in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and this reporter remembers this energetic, bear of a man with the blue eyes, the jut jaw, the rock hard body at 49 and the brush crew cut who scared me a lot when I was in junior high school in Pleasantville High. He looked like a coach, acted like a coach, and scared the heck out of you.
Coach of the Pleasantville Panthers football team in the late 50s and early 60s when Rye was our biggest rival, (Remember “Fry Rye?”) he scared those of us who were not athletes. He pushed us, sometimes to a fault, and his gym classes were anticipated with dread by the physically uncoordinated, the fat boys, and the “brains.”
The rope-climbing in which he’d urge us to climb to the top of the Pleasantville Junior High Gym (without safety guide wires, as obstacle courses are rigged with today taking all the “nerve” out of it) still brings me nightmares.
Athletes were the apples of his eye and he had, I guess out of concern to develop those less athletically gifted, those picked last on any choose-ups, a proclivity for singling us out when we messed up or could not execute – especially overweight, out of shape kids, or the uncoordinated.
Those were the days when Phys. Ed was a graded academic course, not getting a B could keep you off the honor roll. Today, you just have to show up for physical education, attend the classes. It usually does not hurt you “acume.”
In those days, the coach pushed the fat kids hard.
In one incident, my pal the late Chuck Cannizzaro of Pleasantville, who was terribly afraid of climbing the rope to the 50 foot high ceiling. Heights terrified him. The coach made him do it. Chuck climbed to the top of the gym on the single rope, panicked and slid down the ropes, burning his hand badly.
The coach showed me what a great person he was and only had concern for his students at heart. He personally consoled Chuck as Chuck’s hands healed, but he, the coach himself changed. He was distraught that he had made a terrible misjudgment at driving Chuck
He mellowed with those who were not the athletic stars and struggled. He was more accepting and did not yell harshly at them anymore. In doing so, his Phys. Ed classes still had that edge, but it was a firmer more supporting edge. He learned not to fit every young man into an athletic star mold. He grew. They grew.
My pal Chuck, became close friends with Coach Kurachek throughout high school.
Chuck Cannizzaro died too young at age 55 in 1999 after having been successful in not one, but four careers. He was a lieutenant in the United States Navy traveling the world. He became a chemical engineer making a very good living, but it did not satisfy his need to help people. He studied, going back to school and became a physical therapist, and, disgusted at what he saw as cruelty and uncaring nature of many of the doctors he worked with as a physical therapist, he decided to become a doctor himself at age 40. He put himself through Johns Hopkins medical school at his own expense, and became a doctor. He was a tireless and dedicated physician, and his wife told me he basically died of overwork. His father, also a resident of Pleasantville died young too.
Chuck Cannizzaro was my greatest friend and a man whose drive and determination were, I believe developed, in no small part, by Coach Kurachek’s influence. Chuck had no father and I think Coach Kurachek’s taking an interest in the young man gave him a lot of the courage and dedication to change his careers and do what he wanted to do no matter what the odds. The rope incident changed both men.
Coach Kurachek after the incident with Chuck was a different kind of coach. He became more accepting and open. Still tough and driving – but the edge was firmer and more supporting than goading – the style of coaching that was in vogue then, and sadly sometimes continues today.
Coach Kurachek was a role model for coaches before it became fashionable. From the incident with my friend, he grew as a coach, and perhaps was instrumental in developing one of Pleasantville High’s most distinguished graduates, a true renaissance man, Chuck Cannizaro.
He helped me, too. Bumbling athlete that I was.
I wanted to be a sportscaster at the time.
I thought the Pleasantville Junior High basketball games would be enhanced if the baskets and players were announced on a public address system like John Condon did for the Knicks in Madison Square Garden.
I approached Coach Kurachek, then Athletic Director at Pleasantville High School at the time, this was in around 1960. I explained what I hoped to do, announce lineups and baskets and foul shots as they were scored. I started in 8th grade doing the junior high school games.
In absolute fear of the man. To my surprise he said yes. He then let me do it in high school and junior year. This was unheard of at the time. No high school games had public address announcers.
I did my very best John Condon, “Panther Field Goal by number 14, Roy Coulsey, Panthers lead 37-33.”
When I see White Plains High School consistently employ and use adults to announce games, instead of allowing students (who might learn something and nurture a possible career) do it – not even creating a mentoring situation where perhaps a professional would work with a student doing the games, I realize what a vote of confidence that was for Coach Kurachek to say Yes. I mean I never auditioned. He let me try it.
I remember him as a very in-shape coach even in his late 40s. But, most of all I remember his compliments after my first game behind the mike when he said “good job.” I loved doing those games, and when I transferred to Port Jefferson High School in my senior year, I had the confidence thanks to Coach to ask the school to let me emcee record hops. They let me. I talked the basketball coach there (at a new school) to let me do the Port Jefferson basketball games.
Chuck and I are just two of the thousands of Pleasantville High students Coach Kurachek, a positive force, who transformed himself, learned from experience, and used it to develop youth in a positive way.
Another Pleasantville High student of my day 1959-1963, passed along her thoughts on Coach:
It saddens me to have to pass the news of another well loved and respected member of our PHS FAMILY who has left this earth but will never leave our hearts ……
What a fantastic obit. A writing this great required not only a great writer, but a great person to write it about. Very few people in this life can be remembered as fondly and admirably by as many friends as Coach Kurachek. He and Tony Sabella were cornerstones of P’Ville high and countless lives. The number of people they will be missed by, as well as the number of times they will be remembered, gives us a glimpse into the pertinence of their lives and lessons. Not only a life, but an entire era has passed.
KURACHEK, PETER WILLIAM
Peter William Kurachek “Coach” died peacefully on October 12, 2008 after 93 years of a life well lived and characterized by thankfulness. Born on All Saints Day, 1915, Peter kept close to his heart those who predeceased him: his devoted wife Louise, his dear son Michael, parents Peter and Katherine, and brothers, George and John. He is survived by his son Peter (wife Mary), daughter Mary (husband Terry Quiggins), and son Stephen (wife Mary); grandchildren Kathy Kurachek, Jennifer (husband Josh) Kenchel, Amy (husband Richard) Miller, Michael (wife Angela) Quiggins and Sarah (fiancé Ryan Lodgaard), Sam and Peter Kurachek; and great-grandchildren Emma and Stella Kenchel ; and Carter and Kellen Quiggins. Peter was a proud graduate of the University of Kentucky where he received a Master’s degree in education. He attended the U of K on a football scholarship, revered the opportunity of a college education, and belonged to the honorary education fraternity, Phi Kappa Delta . He enjoyed reminding us that college in his day cost fifty dollars a semester!
During World War II Peter served as a Captain in the U.S. Air Corps readying young men for combat. For 32 years he was a successful teacher, high school football coach, and athletic director in Pleasantville, NY. He was a lifelong member of the New York State Teacher’s Association and the American Football Coaches Association.
Peter’s teams reflected his life: well prepared, disciplined and passionate. He loved the camaraderie of fellow coaches of all sports and the exuberance of his young players. He connected with them. He understood them and he understood his role as a teacher and the responsibility of helping boys on their trajectory to manhood.
His teams won a lot of games and he was fond of saying, “Loses are owned by coaches, wins belong to the team.” His players loved him as did their parents and years into retirement he would reflect, “Some of my best players never took the field. They were managers or substitutes. Young people who just wanted to be part of something larger than themselves.”
He received numerous coaching awards culminating in the “Distinguished American Award” bestowed upon him by the Westchester Chapter of the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame. Peter and Louise retired to Florida, toured the country, and visited Europe.
They helped many of the aged people around them and when his loving wife passed in 1984 he moved to Minnesota to be with family. In recent years, Peter found a spiritual home at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church (IHM) in Minnetonka where he was befriended by many parishioners. Peter’s smile, gentle heart, kindness and loyalty will be missed by all who knew him.
A Mass of Christian burial was held on Friday October 17th at 11 AM preceded by visitation at 10 AM at IHM Catholic Church, 13505 Excelsior Blvd, Minnetonka.
Peter will be laid to rest aside his wife Louise and son Michael at All Souls Cemetery in Pleasantville, NY on Saturday October 25, after a brief committal service at the grave site at 11 AM.
In lieu of flowers, donations to support extracurricular activities may be made to the Peter Kurachek Activities Fund, IHM School, 13505 Excelsior Blvd., Minnetonka, MN 55345
The Coach comes home at last to Pleasantville forever next Saturday at 11 A.M., Saturday October 25 with burial at All Souls Cemetary in Pleasantville.
He was a great guy who saw the greatness in everyone.
That’s what great teachers do. All their children are their children.
Coach was that way.
