PARAMUS, NJ - When Tommy DeVito thinks back over his career, it’s the influence of coaches that fueled much of his development from a toddler to the NFL, so the New York Giants quarterback joined the borough of Paramus September 7 to pay tribute to the coaches of the community's teams.
“What’s happening today is an event to give back to the coaches of our town as an appreciation and thank you on behalf of the mayor, council, and superintendent of recreation,” said Robert Kaiser, Paramus Borough Council President. “Without them, our programs can’t run. That’s the bottom line.”
The mayor and Borough Council, along with the Recreation Department, organized the Saturday afternoon as “Coaches Appreciation Day” in Petruska Park.
DeVito brought the same message on his experience with coaches. “From the day I started sports when I was a kid of four or five coaches made such a difference to now in the NFL,” DeVito said. “They help give you the structure you need as a kid that helps you as you grow into a man.”
On Sunday, Sept. 15, DeVito was on the Giants' inactive list as the emergency quarterback. The Giants lost to the Washington Commanders that day, 21-18, with quarterback Danny Jones back leading the team. DeVito has been a local crowd favorite after his six-game stint last season when he threw for 1,101 yards and had a 64 percent completion rate, threw 8 touchdown passes and 3 interceptions.
Even though the event focused on coaches, much of the festivities were events that children could enjoy — plenty of carnival games, free food, and of course, a visit from DeVito.
“It’s a good way for us to say thank you,” said Paramus Mayor Christopher DiPiazza. “It’s tough to find volunteer coaches. We’re happy for the dads and moms, aunts and uncles who dedicate their time after work to coach kids. This is just a little way to say thank you.”
From the time donated to sports, coaches can see their impact well beyond the field of play.
“I’m a huge believer in team building and doing things together as teams,” said Paul Urbanovich, who coaches the 8- and 9-year-old baseball teams. “We always try to preach that at our level. The things we are trying to teach them apply not just to baseball but life in general.”
Of course, Urbanovich’s baseball team also experienced success in the field. "Our 8-year-old boys won the district title and the sectional, then played in Teaneck and won the state championship. The kids had a ton of fun playing with each other. From the coaching side, it was really fun to see them pulling together.”
Lessons of coaching don’t just apply to winning, unfortunately. Coach Mike Colombini’s 7th-grade basketball team also played in the championship but lost by three points.
“They learn to deal with adversity, but we have three more years. Hopefully, we can get one,” he said. “I enjoy just being able to teach kids to do things the right way. It’s not always about winning and losing but you teach them and build character.”
Paramus hopes to turn this coach's celebration into an annual event, according to Kaiser. “These guys are family guys. They have full-time jobs, and they’re still coaching five to six hours a day. It’s all unpaid. They’re important. They are the backbone of the community."
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