September 25, 2006
LM: So why are you still doing this, after all these years?
Joe Cuozzo: It's just something I love to do. I love working with the kids. You get a group of kids in March and they're kind of all over the place and disorganized. Then you see them in May and June and they're a cohesive team. And that's the fun part -- the building and putting them together. And I love competition and I love the challenge. This is how I get my adrenaline rush. And after all these years, it hasn't gone away. And I don't know what's going to happen after this year. I don't know what my future holds. I've had some opportunities and some offers that I'm thinking about.
Why now?
I'm sure you're aware of the [co-coaching] situation (see LMO story) -- and it's worked OK this year, but it's not an ideal situation. We've made it work because I think we both tried to make it work, but it's not an ideal situation. Sometimes I feel like I'm kind of out of the loop. I don't want to just be a figurehead. I don't want them just to be doing me a favor. I still want to coach, and feel that I have something to offer and contribute, which I think I do. Probably, I won't be back [at Ward Melville] next year.
Is 700 a factor at all, for you?
It [700 wins] would have been great. But if it doesn't ever happen, what's the difference? I don't think anyone's going to be around that much longer.
That'd be some way to go out.
It would be perfect. I mean, everything would be in place -- a storybook finish.
Did your relationship with the players change as a result of the coaching situation?
Much different, because I feel a lot less pressure. I'm happier. I'm looser. I kid around with them more. I joke with them more. Before, I felt I had to maintain that aura of the head guy, and although I'm a co-head coach this year, I've enjoyed this season probably more than I've enjoyed a lot of other seasons.
Explain the situation, again?
I was led to believe that I would still be coaching in retirement. And then I found out over the summer that that situation might not happen. Because when Mike Hoppey applied for the job, the union said that they would support him, because he's a full-time employee. I don't know who ultimately made the decision, but it was made. Then we went in and convinced them to let us try this co-coach thing for one year and they agreed to that. It's been [written] over and over again. It serves no useful purpose. Nothing's going to change. My attitude now is, if they don't want me here, then maybe it's time to leave.
Are you led to believe that there were factors other than district policy in making this decision?
Somebody said I lost my fastball -- that the game has passed me by. And I know in my heart that's not true. I mean, yeah, I'm 68 years old. But I'm still energetic.
What has changed, for you?
The kids have changed. You have to deal with them differently. In the old days you could get into a kid's face and they'd respond. You do that now, they can't deal with it. I don't know if they're more sensitive (laughs) or what it is -- you have to kind of talk to them gently, put your arm around them.
How has the culture of lacrosse on Long Island changed, for better or worse?
Certainly in Suffolk County, it's become a lot more competitive. Has Ward Melville slipped? I don't necessarily think so. I think a lot of other programs have caught up to us. In a sense, it's good. It makes us work harder. But we're not going to have the unbelievable success that we've had over the years.And the parents are pushing kids into lacrosse because they all think they're going to get scholarships. And we know that's not true. Parents don't want to believe that.
Did the pressure at Ward Melville ever make coaching unpleasant?
There's always an expectation here. And the expectations are so unrealistic. And if you don't meet them, there's criticism. Sometimes, people don't give enough credit to other teams. Maybe it's not that we're not so good. Maybe it's that the other team is better, so let's give them credit.
The Duke situation has brought out a lot of stereotypes -- about lacrosse being for the privileged and the preppies. Did you get that at Melville?
[Ward Melville] is not blue collar. Around here, it's always, "Lacrosse players can get away with anything." They can cut class, they can do this, they can do that -- and nothing happens to them because they play lacrosse. I don't believe that's true. I certainly hold them to a higher standard. I think athletes in general, whatever sport it is, are coddled. They're spoon-fed. Their misbehavior is often overlooked. So I don't think it's only lacrosse. I think it's athletes in general who live this privileged life. And in Division I with the big money sports, it's an economic thing. But I know lacrosse players, and I know they love to party, you know that. And it's not only Duke. Duke's taking a rap, but this happens everywhere.
What was your relationship with Coach Hoppey like when he was your player and assistant coach? Were you guys tight?
Yep. But I knew he wanted my job. I knew he wanted to be the head coach. And he came in and spoke to me a number of times. I said, "Mike, do what you have to do for yourself -- I don't feel I'm quite ready to give it up yet. And when I do, I would like you to take it over." He would've been my choice.
Seems like in some other areas, coaches shuffle between the different schools. It's different on Long Island.
That's changing. People don't want to put up with the long hours that coaching requires, the relatively low pay and all of the problems that come along with coaching -- dealing with parents, discipline problems. The politics of the whole thing has gotten so unseemly. There are a lot more politics involved than there once was. Not only in athletics, but in school districts in general. It's a lot more political. It's changed. It's not the loyalty or appreciation for a job well done.
Could you break your coaching career down into phases?
In the beginning it certainly was teaching and making lacrosse known to the community and to the school. What is this sport? And educating people and going around to the elementary schools and doing clinics and demonstrations, trying to promote the game. Then, once we became established, then it just kind of was this self-perpetuating thing. One good team would follow another, followed by another.
Then came the period of when the parents started to become more involved, and not in a supportive way, but in a critical way. And that's not only here. That's wherever you go, or whomever you talk to, they have the same issue. That's where we are now, fighting to keep our head above water and maintain the quality of the program... Instead of parents supporting the coaches, they're almost undermining them.
What was your upbringing like in Yonkers, N.Y.?
Tough. Five children. Not a lot of money. It was tough. Grew up in the streets. But I think that has served me well in my career. I certainly didn't live the type of life these kids live, that's for sure.
Are you saying there were times that your family was without a home?
We didn't have a home. We had an apartment. I never lived in a house until I bought a house after I got married. Yeah, it was tough.
What did your father do for a living?
He just worked in a factory, making mattresses. He's a veteran of World War II. I think I've come a long way. (Laughs.) I've always had an affinity for kids on my team that have been my tough kids, the troubled kids. They remind me a little bit of my background. I would always defend them, and work with them. I felt probably closer, more comfortable, with them, than with kids from more affluent families.
What about 700?
Somebody says to me, well if you don't get it (700th win) there, why don't you go somewhere else next year for one or two games, and then retire? Yeah, it's a possibility, isn't it? I don't know.
Sept. 25, 2006
Note: The following was excerpted from an interview by Matt DaSilva that ran in the August/September issue of Lacrosse magazine, a member benefit of US Lacrosse which will become a monthly publication beginning in January 2007. Get a head start -- become a member by Nov. 3 to receive the December and subsequent issues of LM, the sport's feature publication.
LM: So why are you still doing this, after all these years?
Joe Cuozzo: It's just something I love to do. I love working with the kids. You get a group of kids in March and they're kind of all over the place and disorganized. Then you see them in May and June and they're a cohesive team. And that's the fun part -- the building and putting them together. And I love competition and I love the challenge. This is how I get my adrenaline rush. And after all these years, it hasn't gone away. And I don't know what's going to happen after this year. I don't know what my future holds. I've had some opportunities and some offers that I'm thinking about.
Why now?
I'm sure you're aware of the [co-coaching] situation (see LMO story) -- and it's worked OK this year, but it's not an ideal situation. We've made it work because I think we both tried to make it work, but it's not an ideal situation. Sometimes I feel like I'm kind of out of the loop. I don't want to just be a figurehead. I don't want them just to be doing me a favor. I still want to coach, and feel that I have something to offer and contribute, which I think I do. Probably, I won't be back [at Ward Melville] next year.
Is 700 a factor at all, for you?
It [700 wins] would have been great. But if it doesn't ever happen, what's the difference? I don't think anyone's going to be around that much longer.
That'd be some way to go out.
It would be perfect. I mean, everything would be in place -- a storybook finish.
Did your relationship with the players change as a result of the coaching situation?
Much different, because I feel a lot less pressure. I'm happier. I'm looser. I kid around with them more. I joke with them more. Before, I felt I had to maintain that aura of the head guy, and although I'm a co-head coach this year, I've enjoyed this season probably more than I've enjoyed a lot of other seasons.
Explain the situation, again?
I was led to believe that I would still be coaching in retirement. And then I found out over the summer that that situation might not happen. Because when Mike Hoppey applied for the job, the union said that they would support him, because he's a full-time employee. I don't know who ultimately made the decision, but it was made. Then we went in and convinced them to let us try this co-coach thing for one year and they agreed to that. It's been [written] over and over again. It serves no useful purpose. Nothing's going to change. My attitude now is, if they don't want me here, then maybe it's time to leave.
Are you led to believe that there were factors other than district policy in making this decision?
Somebody said I lost my fastball -- that the game has passed me by. And I know in my heart that's not true. I mean, yeah, I'm 68 years old. But I'm still energetic.
What has changed, for you?
The kids have changed. You have to deal with them differently. In the old days you could get into a kid's face and they'd respond. You do that now, they can't deal with it. I don't know if they're more sensitive (laughs) or what it is -- you have to kind of talk to them gently, put your arm around them.
How has the culture of lacrosse on Long Island changed, for better or worse?
Certainly in Suffolk County, it's become a lot more competitive. Has Ward Melville slipped? I don't necessarily think so. I think a lot of other programs have caught up to us. In a sense, it's good. It makes us work harder. But we're not going to have the unbelievable success that we've had over the years.And the parents are pushing kids into lacrosse because they all think they're going to get scholarships. And we know that's not true. Parents don't want to believe that.
Did the pressure at Ward Melville ever make coaching unpleasant?
There's always an expectation here. And the expectations are so unrealistic. And if you don't meet them, there's criticism. Sometimes, people don't give enough credit to other teams. Maybe it's not that we're not so good. Maybe it's that the other team is better, so let's give them credit.
The Duke situation has brought out a lot of stereotypes -- about lacrosse being for the privileged and the preppies. Did you get that at Melville?
[Ward Melville] is not blue collar. Around here, it's always, "Lacrosse players can get away with anything." They can cut class, they can do this, they can do that -- and nothing happens to them because they play lacrosse. I don't believe that's true. I certainly hold them to a higher standard. I think athletes in general, whatever sport it is, are coddled. They're spoon-fed. Their misbehavior is often overlooked. So I don't think it's only lacrosse. I think it's athletes in general who live this privileged life. And in Division I with the big money sports, it's an economic thing. But I know lacrosse players, and I know they love to party, you know that. And it's not only Duke. Duke's taking a rap, but this happens everywhere.
What was your relationship with Coach Hoppey like when he was your player and assistant coach? Were you guys tight?
Yep. But I knew he wanted my job. I knew he wanted to be the head coach. And he came in and spoke to me a number of times. I said, "Mike, do what you have to do for yourself -- I don't feel I'm quite ready to give it up yet. And when I do, I would like you to take it over." He would've been my choice.
Seems like in some other areas, coaches shuffle between the different schools. It's different on Long Island.
That's changing. People don't want to put up with the long hours that coaching requires, the relatively low pay and all of the problems that come along with coaching -- dealing with parents, discipline problems. The politics of the whole thing has gotten so unseemly. There are a lot more politics involved than there once was. Not only in athletics, but in school districts in general. It's a lot more political. It's changed. It's not the loyalty or appreciation for a job well done.
Could you break your coaching career down into phases?
In the beginning it certainly was teaching and making lacrosse known to the community and to the school. What is this sport? And educating people and going around to the elementary schools and doing clinics and demonstrations, trying to promote the game. Then, once we became established, then it just kind of was this self-perpetuating thing. One good team would follow another, followed by another.
Then came the period of when the parents started to become more involved, and not in a supportive way, but in a critical way. And that's not only here. That's wherever you go, or whomever you talk to, they have the same issue. That's where we are now, fighting to keep our head above water and maintain the quality of the program... Instead of parents supporting the coaches, they're almost undermining them.
What was your upbringing like in Yonkers, N.Y.?
Tough. Five children. Not a lot of money. It was tough. Grew up in the streets. But I think that has served me well in my career. I certainly didn't live the type of life these kids live, that's for sure.
Are you saying there were times that your family was without a home?
We didn't have a home. We had an apartment. I never lived in a house until I bought a house after I got married. Yeah, it was tough.
What did your father do for a living?
He just worked in a factory, making mattresses. He's a veteran of World War II. I think I've come a long way. (Laughs.) I've always had an affinity for kids on my team that have been my tough kids, the troubled kids. They remind me a little bit of my background. I would always defend them, and work with them. I felt probably closer, more comfortable, with them, than with kids from more affluent families.
What about 700?
Somebody says to me, well if you don't get it (700th win) there, why don't you go somewhere else next year for one or two games, and then retire? Yeah, it's a possibility, isn't it? I don't know.
