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Haldane Names Football Field for Larry Brigati
Players return to honor their coach at Homecoming
by Mike Turton
 | | Haldane Board President Dave Merandy (r) and Coach Brigati with the new banner naming the field in honor of Brigati's long service to Haldane sports |
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Most of us have attended at least one surprise party that turned out to be a dud despite the best efforts of the organizers. The honoree does his or her best to look surprised - but the guests know better. Darn, we blew it. It wasn't a surprise! Such was not the case just prior to the Haldane High School homecoming football game on Saturday, October 11, 2008.
When Athletic Director Susan Reid called retired Haldane football coach Larry Brigati out onto the field, Brigati was surprised. When she announced why he had been called out onto the field, he was astounded. Reid announced that the football field on Route 9D was being named Lawrence Brigati Field in honor of Brigati's many years as coach of the Haldane football team. The surprise could not have been any greater. Family and friends joined Brigati out on the field. He choked back tears as Reid thanked him "for touching the lives of Haldane athletes for generations." Haldane Central School District President Dave Merandy, Bob Nappi and current Blue Devils football coach Tony Percacciolo took turns heaping praise on Brigati for his commitment to coaching and for the positive influence he has had on hundreds of student athletes over the years.
When it came time for Brigati to address the crowd he could barely speak. "I can't believe this. I can't believe this," he said. Calming himself, Brigati said little but his words captured the moment perfectly. "I love the game of football. I love the kids," he said. "I worked with a lot of good men here. I thank you all. I thank you all for everything," he concluded. The large Homecoming crowd, which included many men who had played football for Brigati as boys, thanked him with an emotionally charged and prolonged wave of applause and cheers.
A banner reading "Lawrence Brigati Field" had already been placed on the face of the announcer's booth. A permanent sign will be erected in the near future.
Brigati, who said he began coaching at Haldane in 1976, chose not to single out individual players or specific highlights in thinking back on his coaching career. "They are all fond memories," he said. When asked what the day meant to him he searched for words before saying, "The people coming back here today. All the players, so many of them, coming back to honor me. They certainly surprised me!"
The newly-formed Haldane Athletic Booster Club had urged the Board of Education to name the field for Brigati. In the Homecoming football game the Haldane Blue Devils unfortunately fell to the Croton Harmon Tigers 27 to 6.
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