Page 21 - North Haven Magazine Issue 33 Spring 2024

Celebrity Coaches Kevin Gilbride and Carolyn
Coach Sagnella and Matthew Jakes standing at Vanacore with former North Haven Graduate, Reece Varney with his grandson Nathan Before the
Attention during the National Anthem Ralph Zingarella 2017 Spring Brawl
that has been established at North Ha- so grateful to the community for their warmth from that day and the days after
ven by Coach Sagnella that makes his tremendous support. North Haven is a from our community. People continued
program stand out above the rest. The special place.” to support us and Amelia during all of
inimitable “Spring Brawl”, which in past the treatment. Those boys even came to
years always took place after two weeks Annetta Depino whose daughter, Ame- her services.
of spring practice, has been used as a lia, had been diagnosed with acute lym-
fundraiser for families who are facing phatic leukemia (ALL) during her Se- I was raised in North Haven and was
extraordinary hardships in their lives. nior year and was honored at the 2018 thrilled to raise my family in our won-
To date, the “Spring Brawl” has raised “Spring Brawl”, wrote the following derful community. Coach Sagnella sig-
over $135,000 for these families in words: nifies what our community is made of,
need. However, more importantly, it has strength, integrity, compassion, dedica-
brought hope and consolation to them in “In 2017 my daughter, Amelia, was di- tion and a family spirit. I have person-
their time of need. In preparing to write agnosed with acute lymphatic leukemia ally seen the positive result of the work
this article, I reached out to just two of (ALL) during her senior year. She was ethic that he instills in the young men of
the families that have been beneficia- a very school-spirited young woman, the team. He enforces a team spirit of
ries of the “Spring Brawl”. I asked them working at the high school, performing working hard together for something to
to write about how their family was im- in plays and concerts, as well as attend- be proud of. His efforts have resulted in
pacted by its participation in this event. ing all the sports events. It was devastat- some wonderful men who may not have
This is what they wrote in response to ing to her to lose the last 6 months of her gone down a positive path.”
my request. senior year.
It is not just the families in need that
Laura Demonte whose husband, Dustin, When Coach Sagnella approached me have benefited from the “Spring Brawl”.
was a police officer in Bristol, and was about dedicating the “Spring Brawl” to During my interview with Coach Sagnel-
killed in the line of duty, leaving behind Amelia, I was so honored. At first, we la, he emphatically stated, “We have had
his wife and three children, Phoebe, Por- felt that we were not worthy and surely a lot of big wins and high points through
ter and Penelope, wrote the following there are other families worthy of such a the years, but I have never seen the look
tribute to the football team: huge community event. But after some on the players faces quite like the look
discussion with Amelia, she felt it was they have on the day after the “Spring
“Spring Brawl was such a memorable so important because it could help the Brawl”.” Quite simply, the “Spring Brawl”
and touching experience for my kids and community and the students who per- is a win for the families in need, a win
me. The amount of time and compassion sonally knew her to understand more for the players on the team and, most of
the students and coaches put into ev- about leukemia and cancer. all, a win for the community of North
erything was remarkable and I’ll always Haven.
remember it. I feel very fortunate to live I met with the junior football team to
in a community that is so supportive explain what Amelia was going through. By now, it is plain to see that the North

and rallies together to help others. The They were so invested in my conversa- Haven Varsity Football coaches and
coaches are teaching the players so much tion, asking questions and listening in- players are worthy of all the accolades
more than football. They are instilling tently to Amelia’s treatment. They were and recognition that they have received.
valuable life lessons about humility, em- very emotional and I think that explana- However, it is not because of their win/
pathy and service. Coach Sagnella and tion of their classmate drove them to ral- loss record. Winning is just the by-prod-
his team of coaches are showing these ly our community for donations. It was uct of doing things the right way. In the
kids that life is bigger than them and that amazing with what was donated, mon- final analysis, this is an elite program be-
it is about supporting one another, espe- ey, shirts, food, referee’s time, gift cards cause it builds character, selflessness and
cially in times of need. Those lessons are and even gift cards for Amelia’s college integrity in its players and contributes to
immeasurable in this crazy world. I’m books. It was incredibly overwhelming. and enriches its community.
beyond thankful the team honored my Besides the financial support we re-
husband and helped my family and I am ceived, my family felt such love and

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