If you played high school football at North Bergen, every year, in the late summer and fall, your senses and instincts start to notice it: the smell of cut grass. It brings back the memories: double sessions, running the treacherous hills behind the high school, the sweat and blood that make a team great, and the exhilaration of expectation of the new season.
These are memories burned into our collective psyches that time has not faded. Even now, as I prepare to transfer platoon command at North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue (NHRFR) to Deputy Chief Nick Gazzillo, who played for the teams of 1975 and 1976, the conversation inevitably turns to North Bergen football, the stories about the various players, and the lessons we learned from Coach Vince Ascolese. It’s remarkable how the lessons you learned on the gridiron so many decades ago still apply today.
“He had a way of reaching inside your body and soul and making you become the best you could be.”—Mike Falco
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I was privileged to experience the leadership of Coach Ascolese both as a player in the late ‘70s where we won back-to-back state championships in 1977 and 1978 (and a county championship in 1978) and as a coach in the ‘90s where we won another two state championships in 1990 and 1997 as well as six county championships. An opposing coach once said, “Playing North Bergen is like anticipating a hangover. You know what to expect and you are powerless to stop it.”
I also remember the phrase Coach Ascolese often used, “In this life, you can do anything you want to do… if you want it bad enough, and if you are willing to do the work.” I heard those words as a player and as a coach. Those traits that make a champion in football such as self-discipline, dedication, and reliability learned early on the gridiron courtesy of Coach Ascolese and his coaching staff, have stayed with me and helped me a be a better person, fire officer, and leader.
I reached out to other NB football alumni who have achieved the rank of fire officer in the NHRFR. This is our tribute to a man, now in his fourth decade as head football coach of the legendary North Bergen Bruins, who stands alone as a shining example for all coaches.
From boys into men
• Nick Gazzillo, Deputy Chief. Class of ‘77. Wingback, Defensive Back
Member of County Champs and State Finalist team
“The lessons Coach Ascolese taught me became more evident as I grew older. The leadership and discipline that was taught developed a strong foundation for competing and striving for a productive place in society. Teamwork, dedication, working hard to be the best and believing that you were, was the message he instilled in his players. The Bruin Red and Gold bleeds all over the state of New Jersey and beyond. I try to teach the Bruin mentality to my two sons and the football team that I coach. The boys on my team may not play in North Bergen, but they are coached like Bruins. The connection of Coach Ascolese and North Bergen Bruin football will always hold a special place in my heart.”
• Mike Falco, Battalion Chief Class of ‘76 Center
Member of County Champion and State Finalist teams
“Having the opportunity to play under Coach Ascolese was by far the most influential occurrence in my life. Coach gave me the gift of believing in myself and gave me the confidence that you can do whatever you want if you believe. Although I may have been one of the smaller starters on the offensive line for him at 170 lbs., he had me playing like I was 225. He had a way of reaching inside your body and soul and making you become the best you could be. When I see him around town, 35 years later, he still treats me like “one of his boys” for he has marked me for life. The one thing I regret today is that my two sons never had the opportunity to play for him.”
• Marc Johnson, Battalion Chief. Class of ‘77 Wingback, Defensive Back.
Member of County champion and State Finalist teams
“The traits I learned playing football for Coach Ascolese were mental and physical toughness where, at North Bergen, it helped us overcome teams that had more talent on paper, but were defeated on the field because we believed we would win. Those teachings also helped me overcome extraordinary fire conditions at incidents. He taught us to expect to win.”
• Ed Connors, Captain. Class of ‘78 Running Back / Punter
Member of State Champion team
“Coach Ascolese instilled in us such traits as hard work, dedication, and teamwork. He treated us like adults and held us accountable for our actions. He stressed that team players, not individuals make a team successful. These lessons carry over to the fire department. If you don’t work as a team and give your best effort all the time to the job, the consequences can be much worse than losing a game, but the concept and belief I learned back then is still the same now: always give your all.”
• John O’Sullivan, Captain. Class of ‘82 Defensive End / Tight End
Team Captain: Jersey City State College football
“Coach Ascolese was and is much more than an excellent football coach. He develops young men, athletes, and students. The things he taught me off the football field were very important in helping to develop my character. Practicing and preparing are very important in football, the fire service, and in life if you expect to perform well and be successful. He taught me to be confident and to be a leader. Thank you Coach Ascolese for your kindness, your fairness, your stern approach, the lessons taught, and your dedication.”
• Mike Martin, Captain. Class of ‘84 Center
Member of co-county championship team
“Coach Ascolese taught us teamwork and that each of us must strive to be the best we can be. We were taught to overcome adversity, which has helped me both in being a firefighter and fire officer. One great character trait that Coach stressed was pride, in yourself and in your team. I am both grateful and honored to have had the privilege of playing for Coach Ascolese.”
• Anthony Cospito, Captain Class of ‘87 Defensive tackle
Member of State and County Champion and State Finalist teams
“The thing I remember most about playing for Mr. A. is that when you put on the red and gold, you had better prepare to be the best. When you played football for Coach Ascolese, you and your teammates were like one big family. I guess that’s why I love being a firefighter. We are also one big family. While playing football for Coach Ascolese, he was like a second father to us all, even years after we played. In 1987, my best friend and a former Bruin lost his life in a construction accident. My friends and I were devastated. I remember Mr. A. being there for us in that horrific time in our lives. We had all graduated the year before and he made it his priority to be there for us. I’ll never forget that. Thanks for everything, Mr. A.”
• Nick Prato, Captain. Class of ‘91 Quarterback / Defensive back
Member of State and County Champion and State Finalist teams
“Coach Ascolese taught the concept of ‘Team First’, that working together, you can accomplish anything. Coach Ascolese taught us faith, family, and football. Like the fire service, we trained at a high level. I was taught to continuously challenge myself and never to be satisfied because complacency only makes you weak. At a fire, it can kill you and your crew. Growing up in North Bergen, there were two things you wanted: to be a Bruin and to play for Coach Ascolese.”
• James Corso, Captain. Class of ‘97 Defensive back
Member of County Champs and State Finalist team
“Coach Ascolese helped me in learning my own personal strengths and weaknesses and how to work with people of different backgrounds to accomplish the same goal. The traits of teamwork and leadership learned on the gridiron also apply to the fire service. Training in the fire service is similar to football practice. There is a lot of hard work involved to reach your goals and those of the team. After a loss in the State Championship in 1996, Coach told us to be proud of our actions and what got us to that game – that was what was most important.”
• Patrick Cospito, Captain. Class of ‘97 Fullback / Linebacker / Nose Guard
Member of County Champions and State Finalist teams
“Coach Ascolese expected that when you got on the field, it wasn’t about you anymore. He expected 110 percent and the team expected it too. As a firefighter and officer, people depend on us to do the job to the best of our ability. Because of my four years playing under Coach Ascolese, I never had a problem putting everything aside and giving 110 percent to doing my job. Coach Ascolese always let us know that if you wanted a position on the team, you had to work to be better than your competition because if you weren’t, if that person worked harder, you would never get the position. I remembered those feelings when I was studying to be a firefighter and then when I prepared for the Captain’s exam. Thanks Mr. A!”
Leaders who develop others, add. Leaders who develop leaders, multiply. One can only surmise that some of the kids sweating on that dusty field behind the high school, bleeding red and gold as this is written may also be the future leaders of NHRFR. They are certainly in good hands.