Words from the past from the Coach

At the final practice before school closing for the summer (June 1950), the coach asked us to provide him with a self addressed stamped envelope as to where we would be that summer. I had taken a job as life guard at the Plaza Hotel in Mt. Freedom, NJ. As per the post mark July 24, 1950 that was stamped on the envelope I received this letter. Those who were privileged to be coached by him know that the following letter personifies his ideals and winning spirit that made us all a little better.

Dear Mr. Confino,

On September 1, we will open our 1950 campaign. We intend to make it a successful one. Football to us is a very serious business and we have an intense and burning desire to win. However, in our desire to win we will never overlook the rules of good sportsmanship.

Weather you succeed in wearing the "RED" this fall will depend upon your willingness to give of yourself. You must train faithfully, you must improve everyday and above all else, all personal interest must be sacrificed for the good of the team. A team without spirit, morale, and drive can never succeed.

Here are some pointers for you to remember.

  1. I will expect you to get in and stay in condition, and I will dismiss any boy who violates the code of honor.
  2. I will expect you to attend each and every practice.
  3. Success comes through hard work, determination and perseverance. There are no short cuts to success.
  4. By proper training, you are setting up the foundation for a healthful, wholesome life.
  5. We can only become better than average by constant training and improvements.
  6. One of the real great virtues is self-discipline. If you cannot discipline yourself, you begin to lose your own self-respect and the confidence of your friends.
  7. Do not be satisfied with the mediocre strive for perfection.
  8. You must give your best all the time.
  9. The coach's criticism is never personal.
  10. A quitter never wins, a winner never quits.
  11. There are no saving deposits in football, it is what you do every day that counts.
  12. Be a good student of football and study it every opportunity you receive.
  13. Always be able to say to yourself, "I have given my best for the team."
  14. Work on your specialty and get really good at it.
  15. Work on your fundamentals every day.
  16. Keep in touch with your teammates, keep talking about winning, about being the hardest, most vicious blocking and tackling team New York City ever saw.
  17. Don't forget your sleep and rest. Watch your diet. Most of all don't overstrain.

There are many other things we can talk and write about. You know what to stand for. Work for it, strive for it.

GO GO GERONIMO!!!!!!!!

Coach Harry Ostro

How have you been working on your stand and elbow lifts every day. How many push-ups can you do? Start taking wind-sprint, 3x a week. Start the 1st of Aug.

P. S. I followed the coaches instructions and I was ready for that big 1950 football season. For those who don't remember that far back there was a teachers' strike at all New York City Schools. All after school activities including football came to a halt. To say the least each and every member was totally devastated. For many of us the desire to play was so strong that we took our Lafayette uniforms and played sandlot games at various parks in Brooklyn. It was a whole lot different then, then it is now, "We didn't play for money, we didn't play for fame but because of what we learned under Coach Ostro, we just played for the love of the game."

Vico Confino (Still wanting to play)

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