A "Big Red" moment/With remarks from former Ocean coach George Conti

By Chuck Lucia
Ocean Township High school '83 football captain (9-2 season)


w/ Special Acknowledgements to other '83 seniors]
Nick "the Greek" Kacandes
Steve "Brownie" Brown
Chris "Uncle Fester" Lee
Rick Deet





With the recent tragic passing of Manasquan's Vic Kubu and the possible retirement of Brick’s Warren
Wolf, I felt obliged to recognize another coaching legend in the Shore Conference fraternity.



In June 2007, George Conti quietly left Ocean Township High School with little fan fare.
Fitting for a man who always strived for the improvement of the young men he coached rather
than for his own accolades; yet somewhat contradictory for a coach who never did anything
quietly. Like Kubu and Wolf, Coach Conti left his imprint, not only, on a school, but an
entire community.

You always had a sense of what you were getting into that first practice of
the summer on the beach. Coach Conti would address the team, but it seemed as if it was you he
was singling out when he said, "So you wanna play football, huh?"

Rocky, as he was commonly
referred to as, was not concerned about whether or not his players liked him but rather, that
they respected him. He was a football coach and a demanding one at that. He taught us that in
order to be successful, you couldn’t take shortcuts and that you always had to work harder
than your opponent. For Coach, being more prepared than your opponent was paramount to winning
that week.

Discipline and attention to detail were staples of his practices and film study. He
never let you believe, for one second, that the other team would surprise you with something
you hadn't seen during that week of practice, and they never did. Preparation leading up to
the game was always grueling because as he would say, "The way you practice is the way you
play."

He captivated the minds of those he coached, eliminated the reservations of his
players, and as a result, to a man, we followed him into battle. Like most of his former
players, it wasn't until later that I realized what Coach Conti actually embodied. He was a
mentor, a leader, who valued family & loyalty above all else. He was a man who let you know
that no matter what shortcomings or hardships you may have encountered, with hard work and perseverance you could overcome adversity and exceed expectations.

Year after year, he molded
his Spartans into a fine-tuned BIG RED machine. Given the choice of a team with size and
talent or quickness and heart, Rocky would always choose the latter. I was fortunate enough to
witness the influence one man can have on a group of high school kids. The two years before he
arrived, Ocean Township was a combined 3-15. During the 1983 season, his first as head coach,
I learned lessons that I would carry with me for the rest of my life. In that year, he laid
the groundwork for a program that would come to signify excellence in the Shore Conference for the next decade.

"Games were won, not on gameday, but on the practice field leading up to
it.", he used to say. It was this year that I learned the true meaning of a TEAM: About being
responsible for others, holding yourself accountable for your own actions, about what it takes
to be successful, & about not only setting goals but putting in the work to accomplish them.
Bulla Bulla, "the Assassins", "Magic Lights", the Big Red Report, Star Night, & of course, The
BEACH would all become things that would be as synonymous with Ocean Township as winning.
During that period he laid the foundation, not only for a program, but also, for shaping the
lives of others. Coach Conti, along with Kubu and Wolf, old school coaches who did not just
teach their players for four years of High School, instead their lessons have resonated a
lifetime.

People, let alone coaches, like these three exceptional leaders, are truly rare and
the Shore Conference was fortunate enough to have such great men of character influencing
those they coached.

This morning I spoke with Conti about Lucia and how, in the early 1980's, Lucia and his teammates helped restore the Ocean football tradition.

""Chuckie was a linebacker and flanker,''said Conti. ""Chuckie was one of the first two
captains in Big Red history along with Steve Brown.

""They were given the unenviable task of the resurrection of Ocean football under an
almost Draconian Regime. It had to be re-established with rules and discipline.
""Chuck was a captain and I gave him the responsibilty of being my eyes and ears and an
assistant coach off the field.
""Chuck was not only a very fine football player and leader but has gone on to validate
the values we instilled in these kids by becoming a good husband, father, and provider.
""I'm very moved that he would think of me at this stage of the game.''

- George "The Rock" Conti