Good article about Joe Sarra's grandson (State High PV coach)
- Thread starter The Shelter
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Joe was my high school coach...long before he came to PSU. He changed my life. I am not ashamed to say I loved that man. RIP Coach and thanks for everything.
It sounds like young Joe Sarra is a chip off the old block. Grandpa Joe could have been done with me in 1968. I went on to take up a roster spot and spend a couple of very undistinguished years on the bench at Mansfield University (yes they had football then).
When I started to coach, he was always there to give advice (he was at Lafayette College most of that time). I believe he came to PSU around 1985 and we stayed in touch on and off till he passed in 2012.
He called me "Burke," no one ever called me that. I can still hear his voice. Coach began to suffer health problems......some of you close to PSU will remember the Connor incident. Around 2008, I ran in to him at spring practice. He was confined to a wheelchair and his old friend (a first year coach at Southern when I was a senior) Al Glennon was taking care of him. I had not seen Al in 40 years!
About a year after that my wife passed away.She went to Southern with me and Coach knew her as well. On more than one occasion, I got a call from Coach Sarra. He told me he was proud of me and that he knew I would somehow endure this hardship....because I was "tough.". Only later did I learn that at the time he was calling to console me.....he was being admitted to a nursing home. I visited him several times there,
He passed a few days before they took down JoePa's statue and I'm glad he didn't have to endure that.
I drove to pay my final respects on Monday....I believe it was July 23,2012. I got there very early when no one else was in the funeral home. My emotions have not been fit for public view since my wife died.
State College was in mourning that day. The sanctions were being announced as I drove home to New York. I thought I'd never see another great PSU Football Team again in my lifetime. I'm glad I was wrong.
When people marginalize the importance of a coach, they are beyond ignorant. You can't put a price on what a man like Joe Sarra was worth. I was never really able to do anything for him, yet he did so much for me.
When I started to coach, he was always there to give advice (he was at Lafayette College most of that time). I believe he came to PSU around 1985 and we stayed in touch on and off till he passed in 2012.
He called me "Burke," no one ever called me that. I can still hear his voice. Coach began to suffer health problems......some of you close to PSU will remember the Connor incident. Around 2008, I ran in to him at spring practice. He was confined to a wheelchair and his old friend (a first year coach at Southern when I was a senior) Al Glennon was taking care of him. I had not seen Al in 40 years!
About a year after that my wife passed away.She went to Southern with me and Coach knew her as well. On more than one occasion, I got a call from Coach Sarra. He told me he was proud of me and that he knew I would somehow endure this hardship....because I was "tough.". Only later did I learn that at the time he was calling to console me.....he was being admitted to a nursing home. I visited him several times there,
He passed a few days before they took down JoePa's statue and I'm glad he didn't have to endure that.
I drove to pay my final respects on Monday....I believe it was July 23,2012. I got there very early when no one else was in the funeral home. My emotions have not been fit for public view since my wife died.
State College was in mourning that day. The sanctions were being announced as I drove home to New York. I thought I'd never see another great PSU Football Team again in my lifetime. I'm glad I was wrong.
When people marginalize the importance of a coach, they are beyond ignorant. You can't put a price on what a man like Joe Sarra was worth. I was never really able to do anything for him, yet he did so much for me.
I believe that coaches like Paterno and probably Sarra as well (based on what you just said) only want their players to become great people. You probably did more for your old coach than you'll ever know just by how you led your life.
One of the great quotes I heard that touches on this is “coaches have lots of players, but players only have one coach.” The true greats - like it sounds Joe Sarra was to marshall - are the ones who make each player feel like they’re that coach’s only player.
Great stories, marshall.
Gibby was a varsity coach at Mansfield when I was on the Freshman team. You'll recall that NCAA rules did not permit freshman to play varsity at that time. Gib was a good guy but the staff changed over and I lost contact with him for awhile. We reconnected when he was at Maryland. In the early 2000's I believe, I was able to locate him again with the help of Bobby Ross. Coach Ross was at West Point and he was trying to get the NYSPHSAA football championships to be played at Michie Stadium. Ross called me one day and I asked him about Gib. Gib was an AD at a small college in Maryland....was it Hood College? Anyway we spoke on the phone and it was great to reconnect. A great guy, I'm sorry I never really got to play for him. Ironically, he's from Port Jervis NY which is in the Section 9 where I've spent my whole career.
He was a paranoid nutjub ask anyone he chased out of the coaches clinic.Matt Forerdale was our starting 1 D-tackle at 235 and he preached size had nothing to do with the position it was all leverage and technique.However,he may have been a great guy.
Wonderful post! Thank you for sharing......not only lots of Penn State history...but obviously very personal as well.......all the best.
Marshall23, from what you posted it's obvious you impacted coach too. It's easy to see our shortcomings and when someone has influenced our lives in a major way we look to them as a mentor and often a good friend. He saw something special in you, he followed you and knew of your loss. As an empathetic, emotional person myself I understand the difficulty in attending funerals and other places that expose emotional responses. Hang in there and as you just did, continue to warmly remember and cherish your relationship with coach. It was special, something you can carry forward. Thanks for posting.
