Coach 24 – Kirk Ventiquattro

December 17, 2023

Lacrosse has taken me lots of places, especially in the last 14 years. Since stepping down from coaching at Oswego State in 2010, I’ve followed lacrosse to Colorado, Florida, California, Montreal, Halifax, Six Nations, Belgium, Ireland, the Czech Republic, and Israel…

Now I can add the Carthage Elks Club to my list.

You see, I was there back in October when former Carthage Central School’s boys’ varsity lacrosse coach Kirk Ventiquattro was inducted into the North Country Sports Hall of Fame...

“Oh, sure,” you say. “I’d be in the HOF too if I coached Casey, Ryan, and Mikey Powell in high school.”

Ah, but there’s so much more to Coach Ventiquattro’s story…

Before his induction dinner up in Carthage, I spoke with Kirk on the phone for an hour, asking him a bunch of questions and making note of his answers – and let me tell you: there’s more to Coach V than you might think.

Kirk is a proud 1977 graduate of Carthage Central School, where he played football, basketball, and baseball. As he considered his college options, he was tempted to take a chance at an offer of a walk-on position for the University of Pittsburgh football team, but instead, he chose a less-risky, closer-to-home Phys Ed degree at SUNY Cortland, where he tried out for the baseball team.

“I was the last guy cut,” he told me.

He earned his teaching degree at Cortland and stayed an extra year to finish his Masters. In the fall of 1982, he started his professional career at Vernon-Verona-Sherrill Central School, but there was an opening at Carthage that winter, so he moved back up north and taught at his alma mater.

The Carthage athletic director at the time was Doug Phillips. Kirk signed on to teach PE and wasted no time getting into his coaching mode, but keep in mind – there was no lacrosse in Carthage… not yet, anyway. He coached football, junior high basketball and volleyball, and baseball. “I coached four sports teams a year. Doug told me once, ‘You’d coach tidily winks if we had it!’” laughed Coach V.

So, how did lacrosse come to Carthage?

“Doug and school board president Patricia Johnson pushed hard for lacrosse. Pat’s older son had gone to Watertown IHC so he could play lacrosse, and she had a younger son coming up through Carthage,” recalled Kirk. “They get all the credit.”

Comet Lacrosse debuted in the spring of 1988, with Kirk as the head JV coach. Carthage went 3-13 in its first varsity season, but the JV squad was well over .500. Someone called them “hicks with sticks” and the moniker stuck; Coach V would go on to have T-shirts made and everyone in town wore one.

Over the next 30 years or so, by the time he stepped down from coaching in 2017, Carthage lacrosse and varsity coach Kirk Ventiquattro managed to win 458 games, 24 Frontier League titles, and 6 Section III championships.

How, you might ask?

Well, for one, Coach V did his homework. Back when Carthage was just getting started, Kirk became a familiar face at any and every coaching clinic I attended – and I went to all of them. Most people may not have known his name, or where he coached, but we all knew him as “that guy who always sat in the front row, taking notes and recording every lecture on his video camera.” He also attended practices at Syracuse University, West Genesee, and strolled the fields of the All-American Lacrosse Camp. “I tried to be a sponge,” Coach V told me. “And it was All-American Lacrosse Camp director Walt Munze who told me that Casey Powell should be moved up to the Division I level.”

Speaking of Casey, Coach 24 certainly benefitted from an enviable succession of All-American players; consider this remarkable continuum of talent: Jason Coffman ’92, Casey Powell ’94, Ryan Powell ’96, Josh Coffman ’98, Chris Dingman ’99, Mikey Powell ’00, Jared Little ’01, Ian Dingman ’02, Tony Ventiquattro ’02, Mario Ventiquattro ’06, Rob Grimm ’08, and Tom Grimm ’11. That’s roughly 20 years of star-studded Comet rosters. And, as Coach V told me, “Ten years with Powells on the roster adds up to a lot of wins!”

Still, Jason Coffman had 91 points as a junior and became Carthage’s first HS All-American in 1992, his senior year. He went on to set NCAA scoring records at Salisbury University where he earned first-team A-A honors all four years; his record 451 career points was an NCAA record until just this past spring, when a Salisbury player surpassed that mark – in his sixth season (thanks to COVID exemptions). Jason is currently the head varsity boys’ lacrosse coach at Carthage.

Josh Coffman had a 149-pt season at Carthage and earned A-A honors twice. He went on to play at Syracuse, where he was a three-time All-American.

Chris Dingman was a starting LSM at the US Naval Academy.

Jared Little won two national championships at the University of Virginia.

Ian Dingman went on to play at Navy with his brother Chris, where he finished his college career as the Midshipmen’s second all-time leading goal-scorer (125), and finished fourth all-time in points at Navy (125-63-168).

Coach V’s sons Tony and Mario also had stellar high school and college careers. Tony went to UMass and then Cortland before being sidelined with injuries, while Mario played at Ohio State.

Rob Grimm was a two-time high school All-American at Carthage before playing four years at UMBC.

Tom Grimm – is this right? – scored 245 goals and 245 assists at Carthage before his standout career at Syracuse University... as a defensive short stick middie.

And those Powell boys? They were pretty good, too.

Casey… Set the national high school scoring record with 553 career points. Four-time USILA All-American at Syracuse University, and the only player to ever earn first-team A-A honors at two positions. US Lacrosse Hall of Famer and creator of World Lacrosse Foundation, which supports players and families in need. MLL and NLL all-star. Captain of the 2006 USMNT and co-captain of the 2011 and 2015 US Men’s Indoor teams. I remember watching a Homer HS prospect play against Casey and the Carthage Comets. Casey played attack, midfield, and long stick on man-down and Carthage breezed to another win. The Homer prospect said to me afterwards, “That guy did everything but sell popcorn at halftime!”

Ryan … After scoring 429 points in high school, Ryan went on to become a four-time All-American at Syracuse; his 287 career points rank him second among SU’s top career scorers. Ryan also played professionally in both the MLL and NLL. Captain of the gold-medal winning USMNT in 2010. Ryan started Rhino Lacrosse and is currently coaching at Christian Brothers Academy in Syracuse.

And Mike… Set the New York State high school records for most points in a season with 194 in 2000, most points in a game with 15 in 2000, and most assists in a season with 120 in 1999. He earned first-team All-American honors all four years at Syracuse and won the Tewaaraton Trophy twice. Mike played in the MLL and was a member of the 2002 and 2006 USMNTeams.

Coach V told me stories of successes and frustrations, of nay-sayers and snubs, and of trying to find “a balance of West Genesee discipline and Syracuse innovation.” His teams wore high socks like West Genny, and always entered and exited the field in two straight lines like Genny, but he also wanted to give them the freedom to take chances, to be unorthodox, like the big boys at SU seemed to do.

By his count, he had 40 Carthage players go D-I, and more than 200 play NCAA lacrosse. “I didn’t want my players to ever feel like they weren’t good enough – that’s what drove me. Being from Carthage is not going to hold you back.”

He added this story: “My greatest compliment came when a Carthage defender visited Princeton on a recruiting visit; Coach Tierney told him that if he came to Princeton he would have a spot for him ‘because, even though I’ve never seen you play, if Coach V says you can play, then you can play.’ I had arrived!”   

Kirk was inducted into the Upstate Chapter of US Lacrosse’s Hall of Fame in 2010 – and was diagnosed with Stage Four prostate cancer in 2011. He was told the two-year survival rate was 31%. Since then, he’s received hormone therapy treatments for the past 12 years, and he does check-ups every three months in New York City.

“The only person I have to blame is myself,” he says. As you might have guessed, he has taken an aggressive stand, doing fundraisers and awareness-raising events for the past decade. He created Team 24 and continues to raise money and cancer awareness.

Kirk retired from teaching in 2014 after 33 years, and then stepped down from the Carthage varsity in 2018. With some remarkable chapters completed, it was time to start a few new ones.

Around 2016, younger son Mario was invited to play with the Philippine National Team in preparation for the 2018 ILF World Championships in Netanya, Israel (Kirk’s wife Carmelita’s mom was from the Philippines). At a subsequent Heritage Cup, Coach V heard the national team was in search of a head coach. He offered his services, and was able to hire his own staff.

He didn’t need to look very far.

Older son Tony was named associate head coach. Former Carthage goalie and 2006 national champion at Cortland Ben Gaebel was hired as defensive coordinator. Former Carthage assistant coach Rob Cross, who played at UMBC and is the offensive coordinator for the PLL’s Waterdogs LC, was hired to do the same. Out of 46 countries participating in Israel, the team finished 10^th with a 5-2 record.

This past summer, Coach V and his all-Carthage coaching staff returned to San Diego for the 2023 World Lacrosse Championships. The Philippines team was in perhaps the toughest pool (my son Brian’s Czech National Team would agree), and ended up with a 15^th place finish in a 30-team tournament, again going 5-2.   

Kirk is still coaching. When I called him back in October to chat, he suggested that “Thursday would be good; football is over on Wednesday.” Turns out he was coaching the modified team at Indian River.

About seven years ago he was asked by Casey Powell to come down to Florida help him coach at North Broward Prep, and from there he coached at the Calvary Christian School in Fort Lauderdale. Today, Tony and Mario are coaching lacrosse in Florida, too – Tony at Bishop Verot in Fort Myers, and Mario at the University School in Fort Lauderdale, and Kirk will go down there again this winter to assist them. Both sons have received regional Coach of the Year honors.   

By Kirk’s count, he’s coached approximately 118 scholastic teams – football, lacrosse, basketball, and volleyball – at seven different school districts. By comparison, I’ve been coaching for 42 years, and I did college and high school lacrosse, girls soccer, and girls ice hockey – at three different institutions – and my count is only something like 55-60.

No comparison.

On the Powell website (www.powelllacrosse.com) last March, Mike wrote this about his high school coach:

“His approach was methodical with a strong emphasis on the details. He was authoritative and created this culture where everyone respected him. We all bought into the brand of lacrosse he was presenting. His philosophy was simple, and he had a real gift for inspiring his players. His unmatched intensity and drive for perfection pushed all of us to become the best we could be.

His pregame speeches were some of the most thoughtful and powerful moments in my entire athletic career. To help set the stage, Coach V was absolutely ripped, especially back in those days. He was built like a brick and fitness was a huge part of his regiment. So physically - he was intimidating, and I always knew that if we had a bench clearing brawl at any point, we’d be alright. He would storm into the locker room like a junkyard dog, sweating and spitting, pacing around the room with a glare that could cut glass. He was like this EVERY game. He never phoned it in and therefore we never did either. He made a Monday afternoon Frontier League game feel like the Super Bowl.

That was the first big lesson that I picked up from him and one that I carry with me to this day. Every moment is important. Every choice matters. Every day is an opportunity to get better. To see a grown man CARE so much about something made a lasting impression on me. From the way to dress to the way you present yourself - it all matters. Go with your full heart.

‘Oh Baby! Comets got a game today!’ That is Coach V’s famous tagline.  He would say this ALL the time. Actually, just typing that out just now brought me back and got me excited! He instilled a passion to compete that filled us all with a real excitement around the sport that we hadn’t experienced anywhere else in any form.” 

At his North Country Sports HOF induction at the Carthage Elks Club back in October, Coach V recognized and thanked the many friends, family members, and former teammates in attendance, but his primary message was similar to what he had told me over the phone. He said, “I was a baseball flunky at Cortland State, and that fueled my passion. I didn’t have the confidence, so I made the decision that I was not going to let a kid from Carthage not have the wherewithal – the confidence, the ability, the skills – to play at that next level.”

He told me later, “Imagine – I was afraid of Pitt, but I ended up sending guys to Syracuse, Penn State, Virginia, UMBC, Penn, Rutgers, Sacred Heart, Army, Navy, Salisbury, Herkimer, OCC, LeMoyne, Mercyhurst, Ohio State, and UMass…”   

Oh baby!

Congrats, thanks, and good luck, Coach.

And thank you for reading. Please consider subscribing at roadtripdad.com to receive weekly RTD pieces via email. It’s free – really! No fine print; no catches. 

In the meantime, please drive carefully, everyone. Volunteer. Donate blood. Get your shots; get your boosters. Mask up if asked. Love your neighbor. Help someone in need. 

But most importantly, stay safe, stay smart, and stay kind.

- Dan Witmer 

daniel.witmer@oswego.edu

Dan is currently the author of four books. The Best of Road Trip Dad – The Laker Lacrosse Collection  is an accumulation of 45 articles written for www.JustLacrosseUpstate between the years 2012 and 2018, about the history and traditions, the people, and the stories of the Oswego State men’s lacrosse program. … and piles to go before I sleep – The Book of Wit is his memoir describing his 33-year career teaching HS English and coaching at Hannibal Central School. His third book, The Best of RTD – A Lacrosse Coach’s Handbook contains more than 55 weekly Road Trip Dad blogs spanning 2012-2020, featuring Xs and Os, highs and lows, and even some Dos and Don'ts, and plenty of advice for coaches of all levels. His latest book, The Best of Road Trip Dad – On the Shoulders of Giants: Upstate’s Lacrosse Founders and Legends, profiles more than 50 icons who helped grow the game in Upstate NY. All four books are available at www.amazon.com.

Dan grew up in Lynbrook, NY before coming to Oswego State to earn his teaching and coaching certifications. He then taught English at Hannibal High School for 33 years before retiring in 2015.

In addition to coaching the Oswego State Laker men’s lacrosse team part-time from 1982-2010, Dan also coached JV and varsity girls’ soccer at Hannibal for 16 years, girls’ ice hockey at Oswego HS for 8 years, and boys’ JV and varsity lacrosse at Oswego HS for 12 years. 

Dan is now in his 18^th year assisting Summit Lacrosse Ventures with their various tournaments, especially the annual Lake Placid Summit Classic, and he worked for 3d Lacrosse for three years as well. He volunteered at the 2014 FIL World Games in Denver, the 2015 FIL Indoor Championships in Syracuse, the 2018 FIL World Games in Netanya, Israel, the 2022 U21 World Championship in Limerick, Ireland, and the World Lacrosse Championships in San Diego in 2023.

Dan served as the Community Service Coordinator for the Oswego State athletic department from 2010-2023 and has been a certified lacrosse referee for the past seven years. He has also been the Volunteer Event Organizer for the annual St. Baldrick’s fundraiser in Oswego for the past 17 years.

Last year he returned to the Oswego State coaching staff as an assistant coach, where he currently serves as defensive coordinator.

Dan and Sue Witmer live in Oswego, while their sons Brian and Eric are currently living in Prague and Denver.

The hope is for many more road trips to come.