A Tribute To Coach Fazio!

  Most of the time an acknowledgement is made to a Senior Player who is about to embark on his adulthood, whether that be continuing his basketball career or looking ahead to other endeavors, but in the process of seeing all these players, the one constant through the changes is the Head Coach! So it is also important when a Coach has decided to step down to give him his due! This acknowledgement goes out to DePaul Head Coach Bart Fazio! For 30 years Coach Fazio has walked the sidelines of games, screaming at his players, making sarcastic remarks to referees or just throwing one liners at people close to his bench! Coach is one of Hoop Journal’s favorites and it’s not just because of his coaching! Talking to Coach makes you know that despite who you feel he should be playing or what offense or defense he should be running, the truth is Coach Fazio is teaching life lessons! It goes beyond the court! Bart Fazio started his career in 1979 at Wallington H.S. and he will tell you with the talent he had he was not that sucessful, but he caught the coaching bug! He did 2 years there then moved on to Passaic H.S. in 1984-85 where he spent 7 years there! Then in 1991 he found his dream job at DePaul Catholic where he spent 21 years to this day! He found true success there winning 2 Passaic County Titles and 7 League Titles! But as he has told Hoop Journal, the wins were good but they weren’t the most important thing, although like any competitive coach he Will tell you about a few big games he has won in his career! “It was all about the kids”! Fazio finishes his coaching career at 452-242! As impressive a resume as there is around! It has been a pleasure to cover this gentleman and he will be sorely missed! Maybe he can sit with us a few times next season! Congratulations to you Coach Fazio and good luck to your wife Carolyn(pictured with him) and your chidren Michael and Stephanie and your future grandchild! They are truly going to need it!!!!!!! Here’s to your peaceful retirement!