For John Armato, Who Was Recognized for 50 Years as a PHS Wrestling Coach, 'Every Second Counts'

Photo by Emily Overdorf

John Armato, at center, was recognized Saturday for 50 years of coaching Pottstown High School's Trojan wrestling team. The crowd above swarmed onto the wrestling mat after Principal Danielle McCoy asked anyone whose life he had touched over those 50 years to come forward.

Photo by Austin Hertzog

The Pottstown High School wrestling room
will be dedicated in John Armato's honor.

Anyone who has ever had John Armato as a wrestling coach over the last 50 years knows his favorite saying: "Every second counts."

"It means never giving up, whether its on the wrestling mat, or at work. It means make the most of the time you have," he explained to this non-wrestler.

It would be hard to find anyone who has made better use of his seconds.

Since 1969, Armato has been guiding Trojan wrestlers both to victory and teaching them how to hold their heads up high even in defeat, knowing they have tried their best and never backed down from a challenge.

Photo by Emily Overdorf

Julianna Figueroa, Pottstown High School's first female
wrestler to earn a medal in a boys wrestling tournament,
gives her coach a hug.

Armato's service to this district, where he was hired almost right out of college, has been
extraordinary.

In addition to his coaching, he has been a public speaking teacher, a teachers union leader, an athletic director, a director of co-curricular activities, a director of community relations (a post he currently holds despite not being paid) and, most recently, as a school board member.

His presence is ubiquitous.

Rare is the community event in Pottstown that does not include a visit from Armato, who feels strongly that the school district should be represented in all aspects of life in Pottstown. And when he cannot be there, his absence is noticed.

Photo by Emily Overdorf

Former Pottstown High School wrestling coaches present 

John Armato with the new sign, built by the high school's engineering
and automotive students, dedicating the wrestling room to him.

So when he reached the 50-year milestone, Pottstown noticed and few were absent.

Eight of Pottstown's nine head wrestling coaches showed up to recognize Armato's decades of service as assistant coach.

There was even an appearance, via video, by legendary wrestler Dan Gable.

As Armato will eagerly tell you (and Wikipedia confirmed), Gable's college career record was 117-1, with his only loss being in the final match of his final season.

Photo by Evan Brandt

John Armato and Danielle McCoy watch a video message
wrestling legend Dan Gable, made just for Armato.

And at the 1972 Olympic Games Gable won all six of his matches without giving up a point.

There was Gable, on the wall of the Earl Strom Gymnasium, which is named after 1945 Pottstown High School alum Earl "Yogi" Strom, who went on to be known as one of the greatest referees in the history of the NBA (again, thanks Wikipedia), thanking Armato for his years of coaching.

"I've read his stuff and admired him for years. I say his name of think about him just about every day. For Dan Gable to know my name ... wow, that's really something," Armato said later.

Which is not to say that Armato has not had some success himself as a coach.

One of the many, many, many former wrestlers to return for the festivities was Paul Green.

Photo by Emily Overdorf

John Armato with Paul Green,
who was PIAA State Champion in 1984.

Green is the 1984 PIAA Wrestling State Champion.

Other former wrestlers formed a parade of well-wishers both during and after the ceremony.

I overheard one tell Armato "Congratulations coach. You deserve it. You made my life."

That says as much about the kind of mentor Armato has been over the years to so many people, as it does about his coaching ability.

That was a point made evident by Pottstown High School Principal Danielle McCoy, an alum of the school and it's first female principal.

Photo by Austin Hertzog

Pottstown High School Principal Danielle McCoy, giving
John Armato a taste "of what he hates -- attention."

But she didn't start out wanting to be an educator, that came later, thanks in part, to Armato.

"John Armato was my teacher. He was also the person who paved the way for me to become a substitute teacher, which set me on the path not just for my career, for my calling," McCoy told the crowd.

"He didn't do this when I was in high school. He did it when I was 35 years old. You see, that's what makes him so special. Once you're his student, you're always his student. He is always there for you, and I am not the only person in the room for whom this is true," she said.

But don't take my word for it, listen for yourself:

Photo by Emily Overdorf

Former student and current Alvernia wrestling coach Seth Ecker 

congratulates John Armato on 50 years as a wrestling coach.

McCoy knows what Armato does for his students from personal experience, and not just her own. Armato he also coached her sons.

One of  those sons, Seth Ecker, went on to become a wrestling coach himself, first at his alma mater, Ithaca College, and then a little closer to home, when he became Alvernia College's first-ever wrestling coach, building a program there from the ground up.

Ecker was on hand Saturday to say thank and congratulations.

He was one of a very large crowd.

"For a few minutes tonight, we're going to give John exactly what he hates -- attention," McCoy joked to that crowd.

And when McCoy asked anyone whose life Armato had touched over the last 50 years to come forward for a photo, it was like a stampede.

That was more than attention. It was love.

Photo by Austin Hertzog

John Armato lets his emotions leak out.

It was hard not to get choked up, seeing generations of an entire community express their appreciation, their admiration and their thanks for years of unwavering dedication.

And neither John, nor I, quite managed it.

I doubt we were the only ones.

And while he may not love being put in the spotlight, I suspect when John got back home Saturday night, "curled up on the floor" of his den after, snacking on some chocolate-covered raisins, he may have reflected on these being some of his favorite seconds out of those 50 years.

He might even say to himself: "not bad for the little Sicilian kid from Brooklyn."

Photo by Emily Overdorf

When a whole crowd of people whose lives you've touched come out to say 'thank you.' It looks like this.