Over the last 20 years, I’ve written countless columns honoring the memory of area sports dignitaries. This may be one of the hardest, and at the same time, easiest, to formulate.
When Joe DeCerbo passed away early Thursday morning, I knew immediately that I would be busy trying to fit a legion of shared emotions into a workable memorial that did not seem overwhelming.
First, here’s a part of his obituary that appeared in Friday’s Times-Herald:
— Joe’s resume, if you count the years he spent dedicated to three sports – baseball, football, and basketball – as a coach and as an official, adds up to 319 seasons in various age groups. He spent his entire adult life coaching young people.
— Some of the awards and honors for more than 30 years include Olean Times Herald Bicentennial Sportsman of the Year (1976); Olean High School Sports Wall of Fame; Cattaraugus County Sports Hall of Fame; Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce Good News Award (2008); Western New York Amateur Football Alliance Outstanding Service to Youth Tackle Football (2009); Olean Exchange Club Golden Deeds Award (2008); installed as honorary member of Olean High 41-42 Football Award (2010); Big 30 All Star Football Committee plaque for appreciation (2014); and the City of Olean Youth Bureau Lifelong Commitment and Dedicated Service to the Youth of the City of Olean (2016).
— He spent all or parts of 55 years on the practice field, in the dugout, on the sideline, and in countless meetings; football, including Midgets and High School, for 38 years; baseball, Little League and Senior League, for 26 years; and 46 years of basketball, where he was awarded a life membership in the International Association of Approved Basketball Officials (IAABO). Joe coached his first Olean Midget Football team in 1958.
Take a moment to think of that first number — 319 seasons.
Multiply that by the number of players he coached or officials he worked with and the total is mind-numbing.
But Joe never concerned himself with numbers. In fact, he lived to help others … and the more people he helped, the more he smiled.
He didn’t ‘just’ volunteer. He taught you.
If you played for or worked with Joe, this is what you learned:
— You learned how to play the game. You played hard. You played fair. And you never stopped learning that the game offered you the opportunity to grow.
— You learned the meaning of respect. Respect for the game you were playing along with its many rules. Respect for officials. Respect for elders, teachers, coaches and parents.
— You learned all about sportsmanship.
When I posted a note on Facebook that I was going to write this memorial, it took less than 12 hours to get flooded with over 150 likes and comments, some of which I’ll share:
Michael W. Moses: “Joe DeCerbo defined what we all as volunteers in youth sports seek to attain. He truly cared not only about the youth of Olean, but about those in Cattaraugus and Allegany Counties through his work in Little League. I’ve been honored to call him a mentor, but more honored to call him a friend. May he Rest In Peace.”
Adam Bennett: “Joe was one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. His dedication to youth athletics in Olean was unmatched. Joe was a tremendous mentor for so many people, and his impact will be felt in our area for generations to come.”
Rod Havers: “Joe was a part of my life as I grew up and I will always remember him. He played a big role in making me the man I am today. And he has touched and helped so many in our community. He will be missed but never forgotten.”
Colleen Taggerty: “Such a great man. He did so much for our youth, our school and our entire community. His legacy will live on forever.”
Chris Cappelletti: “Joe helped build young men in the Olean area. The lessons he taught me went far beyond the ball field. Olean lost a great man today, he will be missed.”
There were also a few individuals I felt needed an opportunity to share their thoughts about Joe.
Bill Aiello, mayor of Olean: “Joe DeCerbo is synonymous with youth sports in the Olean area. Joe dedicated his life to the youth of Olean and will be sadly missed. I am honored to be able to say that I had the pleasure of coaching him and serving with him on the Olean Youth Bureau Board of Directors and the Cattaraugus County Basketball Officials Board of Directors. But most of all, I am honored to be able call Joe my friend.”
Wimpy Swetland worked with him as a member of the Big 30 Football All-Star Committee for over 20 years: “Olean and the Big 30 will never see a man like Joe DeCerbo again. Every kid he coached looked at him as an idol. He gave them all, whether they were talented or not, a chance to play. Kids loved him. We loved him.”
Jack Quigley played for and later coached with Joe for the East Olean midget football team:
“Where do you begin trying to thank Joe for all that he did? From serving on the Olean High Sports Boosters, to coaching midget football and Little League to working as a basketball official and donating his time as a member of the Big 30 Football All-Star committee, where do you start? If you played for him, he made you want to be the best. He attended countless meetings and contributed every chance he could. He was always there to help other people. And on top of everything else he was involved in, he still found the time to raise a great family. We need more people like Joe, people who make you look at yourself and force you to be better. Joe was always seeking to be fair to everybody. He did not single you out. He helped you grow up. He was a model citizen. I’d like to know what drove Joe because I think we could all use a little of whatever it was.”
Rich Hill took over for Joe as the president of the Cattaraugus County board of the IAABO (International Association of Approved Basketball Officials): “The one thing that struck me about Joe is the fact that, even though we all thought very highly of him within our own board, he was a legend on the state and national level as well. The other thing about Joe is the fact that he wore so many hats. He served our board as secretary, interpreter, assigner and tournament director. I’ve been the president of the board for the last 15 years now and I still call it Joe’s board. He had unparalleled integrity, nobody ever questioned his intentions.”
Don Scholla, former athletic director at Olean High School: “In 2001, he was inducted into our Wall of Fame and to summarize what Joe meant to deserve that honor, I wrote: ‘A true icon for Olean sports.’ He was a leader. When I took over as the AD in the early ‘90s, the person in charge of the sports boosters quit and I called a meeting to see if somebody would be willing to take over. I remember asking and the room grew silent. Joe was sitting in the back and, finally, after a few minutes he said, ‘I’ll do it.’ And for the next 25 years, he proved to be a great individual to work with. He was certainly an asset to Olean High athletics. He was a giver.”
Perhaps Jack and Don had Joe DeCerbo figured out the best.
What drove Joe? Plain and simple, he was a giver.
If we chose to, we could say that Joe did not pass away. He merely ran out of the capacity to give any more.
Regardless, it’s with a heavy heart and a broad smile that I pass on one final thought to Joe from so many of us from throughout the Big 30 region: Thank you. It’s now up to all of us to give. And I’m not sure all of us together can match what you did.
(Jim Melaro, a Times Herald sports writer, can be reached at jimmelaro@yahoo.com)
