Coaching Career

Coaching Career

another one

In 1966, Paul’s first basketball coaching position was the St. Hedwig’s Senior Team. During his inaugural season, St. Hedwig’s won the League Championship. This opportunity led to a coaching position at St. Mary’s High School. In 1968, Paul coached the freshman team. In 1969, he took over the junior varsity program while his brother Joe took responsibilities for the freshman team. Along with Joe and varsity coach, Jim Vockland, they established St. Mary’s Basketball Camp and transitioned into a year round basketball program. All their hard work culminated in a Nassau-Suffolk Catholic League Championship in 1979.

In 1979, Paul began coaching at Pine Bush High School.  In the previous two years, Pine Bush did not have a varsity boys basketball program due to budget cuts.  In Paul’s first season, he guided the Bushman to a winning record and a sectional birth.

In 1981, Paul was hired as the Head Men’s Basketball Coach at SUNY Orange. Paul took over a program that had two consecutive losing seasons. In his first year, he guided the Colts to a 12-10 record and qualified for Region XV playoffs. Paul’s SUNY Orange career culminated in 2006 as he led the Colts to a 23-8 record, a district championship and the program’s first ever appearance in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II National Championship Tournament. That year, he was named the NJCAA Division II “Coach of the Year” in District 9.

In his 25 years coaching men’s basketball he won several conference championships and a regional championship. His teams qualified for the playoffs 21 out of the 25 years. He was proud of the numerous CHSAA and Region XV Sportsmanship Awards his teams won. Paul took great pride in competing, playing the game the right way, and respecting all parties involved. Paul felt a strong camaraderie with the coaches he met and competed against along the way.  For his efforts at SUNY Orange, he was inducted into the SUNY Orange Hall of Fame in 2015.

Paul coached the SUNY Orange Men’s Golf Team from 1981-2013. Many of his golfers qualified for the Region XV and NJCAA Division I and Division III National Tournament.