Now, one reason for my personal excitement about our Friday night broadcast is that we will be joined in the booth by legendary football coach Charlie Bertero. Coach Bertero served as phys ed instructor, football coach, basketball coach and mentor at Naugatuck High in the 1960's til early 70's when he left to go on to be an assistant coach at UCONN, then as athletic director in various schools. He also was one of the driving forces in my life and how I ended up following my career path.
As a middle school student, my goal was to play football (wide receiver) for Naugatuck and then for an Ivy league College. I was fast, had soft hands, fearless, good height and loved to play the game. But God had another plan and in October of 1967, while running a crossing route, leaping in the air for a catch, my legs were swept out from under me.......after flipping over, I landed on the back of my head and neck....my 5th cervical vertebrae was shattered......a broken neck. My football career over.
A year later, enter Coach Bertero, He was my PE teacher at NHS and knew of my great love of football, knew of my injury. Instead of just treating me as another student, Coach Bertero put me to work with his staff. For the four years I was a student at Naugatuck I was the film guy. Nearly every game I shot 8mm movie film for the coaches. There were some games where I would shoot still photographs of specific formations or specific situations. His staff of the late Ron Sobeleski, the late Ralph DeSantis, Lou Farrar and my good friend Bob Aquavia also embraced me, taught me the inner workings of football.... the why's & hows.......how to think a game through why to approach a game in a certain way. I was in high school, but in many respects I was in college taking grad courses in football. As I said earlier this lead me down my career path. And so, Friday evening I am honored that Coach Bertero has agreed to join Steve and me in the booth. I hope you too will join us by listening online at watr.com or over the airways...1320AM-WATR.
As a middle school student, my goal was to play football (wide receiver) for Naugatuck and then for an Ivy league College. I was fast, had soft hands, fearless, good height and loved to play the game. But God had another plan and in October of 1967, while running a crossing route, leaping in the air for a catch, my legs were swept out from under me.......after flipping over, I landed on the back of my head and neck....my 5th cervical vertebrae was shattered......a broken neck. My football career over.
A year later, enter Coach Bertero, He was my PE teacher at NHS and knew of my great love of football, knew of my injury. Instead of just treating me as another student, Coach Bertero put me to work with his staff. For the four years I was a student at Naugatuck I was the film guy. Nearly every game I shot 8mm movie film for the coaches. There were some games where I would shoot still photographs of specific formations or specific situations. His staff of the late Ron Sobeleski, the late Ralph DeSantis, Lou Farrar and my good friend Bob Aquavia also embraced me, taught me the inner workings of football.... the why's & hows.......how to think a game through why to approach a game in a certain way. I was in high school, but in many respects I was in college taking grad courses in football. As I said earlier this lead me down my career path. And so, Friday evening I am honored that Coach Bertero has agreed to join Steve and me in the booth. I hope you too will join us by listening online at watr.com or over the airways...1320AM-WATR.
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