WHS football celebrated in style Specially-made T-shirts and sparkling cider awaited Super Bowl champs
WOONSOCKET — On the days preceding Friday, Oct. 26, Woonsocket High head coach Charlie Bibeault had promised his kids that, if they could bus to Newport and muster a victory over Rogers in their Division II-A finale, he would lead a very special celebration upon their return.
The reason: A triumph would seal the league championship, so the fete appropriately would include 12 bottles of sparkling cider.
“That Friday afternoon, even before we left, I went downstairs in the Barry Field clubhouse and put those bottles in six different coolers and filled them with ice,” Bibeault grinned. “I wanted them ready to go if we did win.
“When the kids walked in to put on their lowers (pads, football pants, tape, spikes, etc.), I told them about the sparkling cider, and they were all excited. But then we had a little talk about being focused on Rogers; I reminded them that this was their opportunity to go from worst (the previous season) to first. I also told them how badly we wanted to get the seniors one more home game.
“What they didn’t know at the time, that if we did win, they would be in store for another surprise.”
That night, after the Villa Novans lambasted the Vikings, 26-6, Bibeault and assistant head coach Brett Coderre hustled back ahead of the team bus (as is tradition, they drive themselves to away tilts to discuss strategy) and hung those surprises – specially-made white commemorative T-shirts – by the players’ lockers.
“I saw the kids walk in, and – man – were they pumped!” Bibeault laughed. “The guys who walked in first immediately began putting theirs on, and the guys who followed seemed stunned; it was they were, like, ‘What?!’
“They threw those things on, but a lot of them wanted dibs on the 12 bottles of cider. Maybe a few thought they were getting champagne, but no.”
Bibeault indicated he was shocked as anyone when he received a phone call a week or so before from Ryan Coletta, who co-owns the Social Street-based Family Discount Furniture store with his older brother Brad, both North Providence High graduates.
It was then that Coletta told him that, should the Novans win the II-A title, he wanted to purchase T-shirts (65 in all) for the boys, coaching staff, trainers and the like.
“They didn’t have to do that; they chose to, and I was so thankful,” Bibeault said. “The kids were so proud. It was the first time that most of them were given anything that showed they were winners. Before this year, the seniors who are about to graduate, like Emmanuel Gomes, Logan Burda and Geraldi Paniagua, they had never won more than three games in a season.
“For them, it was surreal, to be able to wear something showing they were champions,” he added. “Plus, in this day of social media, the first thing they wanted to do is post photos of themselves wearing the shirts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, whatever.”
According to the Colet- tas, buying and giving away T-shirts for the local grid squad and its fans is nothing new.
Over the past four years, even before the football season begins, they meet with John Lynch, a friend and owner of Heavy Press Graphics in nearby Bellingham, and he creates the designs. During the regular season, the varsity cheerleaders toss them to assorted fans in the Barry Field stands during timeouts, between quarters and at halftime.
“Before we did it the first time, we had to go to the principal, Carnell Henderson, for permission,” Ryan Coletta noted. “When we told him, he said, ‘Of course you can. The kids, the fans, will love it.’”
Naturally, there’s something in it for the family business, too. While the fronts of all shirts are dedicated to the school, sport and achievement, the backs are plastered with the store logo and other information.
Call it “not-so-free” advertising.
“It feels good to give back to the kids, doing something nice for the community,” Ryan said. “And, if their parents decide to shop local, they know that this shop here supports them, so they figure they’ll support us, too.
“We help them pay their bills, and they help us pay ours,” he added. “We’re all in this friendly community together.”
ON THIS Wednesday afternoon at the shop, 1081 Social St., numerous folks walk through the store to order beds, couches, tables and/or heaters, and most seem to know the Colettas quite well. Heck, even relatives of current Villa Novan athletes stroll by, and the brothers seem quite comfortable with all.
It’s little wonder while they attract these folks; they know Family Discount Furniture also has given back to sponsor Little League teams in both Woonsocket and Apponaug (a village of Warwick), even young city resident and quarter-midget racing aficionado T.J. Tomasi.
“He’ll come in and tell us he needs new tires, a new helmet or equipment, so we write him a check,” Ryan shrugged. “There was one time, a couple of years ago, someone from the high school theater group came in. He told us they were putting on a play, but that the couch that someone was supposed to give to him never showed, so I gave him a brand new one. He was so appreciative, but we were glad to do it.”
According to Bibeult, the linchpin in all this is Pete Antonio, the varsity football equipment manager who knows more about Woonsocket sports history than arguably anyone at the school – or in town.
“Ryan is Pete’s nephew, and Pete’s been with us for over 25 years now,” he stated. “In fact, he and (the family of late WHS legendary mentor) George Nasuti are the only ones who now have all four of the Super Bowl rings in our history.
“I actually gave Coach Nasuti’s wife, Carol, a 2018 ring because I felt like she and George deserved one,” he continued. “I can tell you one thing: I wouldn’t be here if not for George. I graduated in 2008, so I played for him. He’s the best coach I ever had.”
The younger Coletta couldn’t help but laugh when asked this question: So what did you think when the Villa Novans went to Cranston and won the D-II Super Bowl? (They blew out II-A regular-season co-champ East Greenwich, 38-13, on Nov. 18).
“I was, like, ‘Oh, man! Now we have to buy them another batch!” he smiled. “Nah, I’m only kidding. I just called Charlie and told him, and he said, ‘Yeah!’ Hey, the kids deserve it. They played hard and competed, and I was happy to help them out again. I called John Lynch and told him about it, and he started laughing, but he said he’d be happy to design and print more.
“Hopefully, we can do it again next year, but that means Charlie’s going to be really busy.”
He ordered another 65 in all, and stated they’re “really nice, all long-sleeved.”
They’re black, with ‘Woonsocket’ spelled out in black letters (all caps) with thin maroon and white borders, then a white, skinny horizontal banner with ‘NOVANS’ in all caps immediately underneath. Under that, the number ‘2018’ in maroon, and a Novans’ helmet beneath that. The words ‘Super Bowl’ and ‘Champions’ are on either side of that helmet.
For the record, the price of both loads of shirts: An approximate $3,000, but the generous Colettas don’t care.
“Hopefully, we can do it again next year,” Ryan said, “but that means Charlie’s going to be really busy.”
Offered assistant line coach Marc Piette: “The kids love those shirts, both of them. Anytime they can get a piece of garb on their backs, especially one that says ‘Woonsocket’ or ‘Novans’ and signifies a championship, they’re all for it. The designs were really nice, too.