After 32 years of coaching everything from tennis to gymnastics, 60-year-old Ron Rossi finally reached the pinnacle of his profession last year when the Class 3A Holy Family girls basketball team gave its coach something that had been merely a dream — a state title.
Starting today, Rossi and his Holy Family Tigers will attempt to become the first 3A girls team to repeat as champion.
“Just to get to Friday night was very rewarding,” said Rossi, whose record the past three seasons at Holy Family is 69-8. “But sometimes, there’s that magical moment. You’ve got to have the right players, the right luck, and the right stars in the right place to get to the next level. There are a lot of coaches out there that work hard just like me, and they never get that opportunity.”
Rossi’s legacy was made years before he knew where Holy Family was located and how many state titles he might win. As a boys basketball, tennis and gymnastics coach at Lakewood for 17 years, starting in 1976, Rossi demonstrated his love of coaching. Though his teams never made it past the quarterfinals of any state tournament, Rossi’s peers had the utmost respect for him. He was named Jefferson County coach of the year three times, each for a different sport.
“He just has a passion for what he’s doing,” said Bear Creek boys basketball coach Steve Hyatt, who played for Rossi in 1979. “It didn’t matter if it was fifth-graders or girls, he’s the same and he loves every bit of it.”
Hyatt is just one of the many coaching disciples of Rossi, who has coached at least 11 players or assistant coaches who have gone on to be varsity coaches.
“The whole basis for what you do comes from your first coaching job,” said Ralston Valley girls coach Jeff Gomer, who got his first coaching job working for Rossi in 1980. “He’s a total (sports) junkie. He knows more X’s and O’s than anyone I’ve come across. Go to dinner with him and you leave with a stack of napkins with plays.”
Last year’s state title game against Metropolitan League opponent Faith Christian epitomizes Rossi’s coaching acumen. After losing both regular-season games to the Eagles, he changed things up.
Afterward, Rossi broke down.
“He started crying in the locker room and he held that trophy and gave it a big kiss,” said Holy Family senior Dori Gills. “He gets so excited over the tiniest things, and that gets us excited. And when you see how much effort he puts into it, you love to be a part of it.”
That excitement comes with consequences, though.
“When he gets real excited he starts to spit when he talks,” Hyatt said.
Said Gomer: “Oh, yeah, the liquid would come out. That first year on the bench, sitting next to him was always the best place to be.”
Jon E. Yunt: 303-954-1354 or jyunt@denverpost.com
