ON MIKE WALSH
COACHES
Vito Montelli, former St. Joseph coach : “Our kids played hard against each other, the kind of competitiveness you want to see in sports. We both coached in Catholic schools, so we had the opportunity to mold kids according to values, whether they were Catholic and regardless of their family situations. Mike believed, as I do, that our jobs are to emphasize life skills over winning.”
Bill Brehm, former Greenwich coach: “Mike is first and foremost a friend. He’s a coach that I respect immensely. When you can coach against a friend and somebody you respect, it makes it that much more enjoyable and fun. I learned much from Mike over the years coaching against him. He and his teams always displayed sportsmanship, class and treated us with dignity. We had many really competitive and intense games against Mike’s teams, and we would always enjoy playing them. Anytime I needed anything to help make my team better, Mike was there for me. He will be missed as a head coach in the league.”
Dave Schulz, FCIAC Commissioner, former Fairfield High coach: “I am finding it difficult to picture Trinity Catholic basketball without Mike Walsh on the sidelines! He represented his school with class and dignity and will be missed by all in the FCIAC and state basketball circles.”
Colin Devine, Staples head coach/ former player: “I consider Mike Walsh a coaching mentor and friend. Mike helped me through my early years as a head coach. I appreciate everything that Mike did for myself, the FCIAC, Trinity and Connecticut high school basketball. I also think people underestimate the time and energy Mike puts in to ensure all of his players in his program are prepared to be successful after they leave Trinity.”
Joel Geriak Wilton coach/ former Westhill player: “Mike meant a lot to me and other coaches in the league because he built a program from the bottom up. I was in high school when Rash came in and changed the culture at Stamford Catholic. He was always willing to help any coach with scouting reports, any coaching questions and just being a mentor on how to relate to your players. He is in the hall of fame for a reason. Getting 600- plus wins is not easy to do. Mike and I had a good relationship on and off the court; he will be missed by me and a bunch of other coaches in this league and in this state.”
John Dailey, Ludlowe coach/ former Fairfield High player: “When Coach Walsh won his first FCIAC championship in 1993 over my alma mater Fairfield High, I was 13 years old. It’s just amazing to think how long Mike Walsh has been coaching at one high school, and at the same time producing successful teams and players year after year. It’s a testament to his character. I’ve had the privilege to play and now coach against Mike, and one of the things that I will remember during our interaction is what a great person he is. He would always take time out before our games to come chat with me, see how my team was doing, offer support, and share a few stories. It was evident he cared about his players and their success on and off the court. I wish Coach Walsh the best in future endeavors. A legendary coach, but a better person.”
Buddy Bray, Trumbull head coach/ former player: “Congrats to Coach Walsh on a storied career as basketball coach of Stamford Catholic/ Trinity Catholic. I remember as a player at Trumbull in 1978 playing against him as Stamford Catholic and now coaching against him over the past 30 seasons as Trinity Catholic. I know he always brought out the best in me as a player and a coach because his teams were always raising the bar and very well coached. I wish him the best in your new role as an assistant coach, and many more happy years with his family.”
Zach Smith, Stamford High Coach: “Coach Walsh built Trinity into one of the best programs in the state of Connecticut. He helped raise the profile of FCIAC basketball into, arguably, being the best basketball conference in all of New England. Locally, he influenced hundreds of kids that went through his program in a positive way. With all the wins and banners, you can tell Coach Walsh values the relationships he’s built with his players over the years as much as anything.”
PLAYERS
Craig Austrie, former Trinity Catholic player, played at UConn: “Coach Walsh was the ultimate competitor and the ultimate coach. He gave me a chance to showcase my skills and him doing that gave me an opportunity to play in college. After high school he was someone I could always call and every time I call him, he picks up the phone. To this day we are in touch with each other. I saw the winning tradition at the school he started and it is something you want to keep going. You wanted to keep Trinity on top in the state and Coach Walsh got us there.”
John Smyth former Stamford Catholic player, played at Princeton/ Trinity Catholic assistant coach: “When people think of Mike, their thoughts focus on his winning record and numerous county and state championships. The real story is Mike’s interest in his players as persons and the lifelong relationship Mike has with his players, helping them develop into great young men and successful people throughout their lives.”
Earl Johnson, former Trinity player, played at Rutgers and Iona: “Coach was a players’ coach and he allowed you to be creative and take over and win games with your skills. He would put you in position to do well but then he let the players play. It has been great after high school because he has gone from a coach and father figure to us having a grown adult relationship as friends. We talk all the time, I call to check on the team and he’s always asking about my family or anything else happening in my life. He is a great man to have known all these years.”
MEDIA
Emery Filmer, freelance journalist, former Stamford Advocate Sports Writer: “I knew back in the ’ 80s he was going to be one of my favorite coaches. Might have had something to do with him being a Red Sox fan, I don’t know. But seriously, I was always impressed with how a man with such a calm, cool, composed, personality could become such a successful and, more importantly, well- respected, high school basketball coach. Mike was a real gentleman, he never failed to ask me how my family was doing, even after a painful loss. He was a decent, sincere man who was not only committed to his team but also to his family, which was one of the most close- knit, big families in Stamford that I ever knew. Stamford has changed a lot since he took over nearly 40 years ago, but not seeing Mike Walsh on the basketball court or the ball field is one change we’ll have a tough time getting used to. We’ll miss him.”
Dave Ruden, Founder of the Ruden Report, former Stamford Advocate Sports Writer:
“There is so much to admire about Mike and the way he built up the program. The start of the run coincided with me joining The Advocate, so I got to cover all the championship games. From a sportswriter’s stand point it is great to write about a perennial title contender with so many great players that I continued to write about as they went on to play at top college programs. But what outsiders never got to see is the way Mike opened doors for his players and helped them navigate the recruiting process, which was unfamiliar to most of them. When you talk to the former players they obviously talk about the titles and great moments, but first they usually point to him as a father figure and how he cared so much about them.”
Joe Ryan, Longtime Freelance Stamford Sports Writer: “One thing which comes to mind was the way he handled both wins and defeats with same class and dignity. The wins were important but it was about the competition and as long as his team gave a good effort he was satisfied. So, like everyone has said he taught life more than basketball.”