Sad for sure. Pete was a great man and did a wonderful job coaching and teaching. Rip
Sad news from DG North
- Thread starter LakeCtyNewt
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Sad for sure. Pete was a great man and did a wonderful job coaching and teaching. Rip
Heartbreaking to hear. He was a staple as a teacher at SF for years and impacted many lives in a profoundly positive manner. There are very few people who truly fit the definition of a great man, and Ventrelli was one of them. A very, very rare breed.
Very impressive coach - coached East Aurora into the playoffs in 1982 and Morton West in 1983.
I scouted for Pete when he was at Morton West. A great guy with a great football mind. A graduate of West Leyden High School in Northlake. In 1966 he was the Captain on the only West Leyden team that ever beat East Leyden in a regular season football game. When legendary East Leyden head coach Jack Leese retired many felt that Pete was going to get the Eagles head coaching job as he had been an assistant on the Eagles coaching staff abd Keese was sonewhat his mentor but he was passed over and the job went to Len Janik who played for Leese at East Leyden. Pete went back to his Alma Mater West Leyden and took the head coaching job for the West Leyden Knights the last season that they played in the Des Plaines Valley league in 1978 before moving to the North Suburban Conference.
I
In1981 it was decided that the East and West Leyden athletic programs would merge and he was once again turned down for the head coaching job for the Eagles football program and then headed out to East Aurora high and took the Tomcats to the playoffs I believe in 1982. It was the following season in 1983 when he took the available head coaching job at my Alma Mater Morton West and the Falcons won the Des Plaines Valley League Championship. They defeated Gordon Tech in the Wednesday first round game but lost to Saint Rita in the second round Saturday game at the old St Rita football field.. The following season the Falcons did not make the playoffs and it was announced that the Morton West and East athletic programs would merge and before he waited around to see what they were going to do about the head coaching position he resigned and left and that's when he headed out to Downers Grove North and was very successful there before finishing at Wheaton St Francis
A very down to earth guy. I always loved talking to him about past football history like the formation of the Des Plaines Valley League which is now the West Suburban Gold. He recalled playing games at schools like Downers Grove South Hinsdale South and Addison Trail which had recently opened when he was playing at West Leyden and how they were all basically schools in the middle of rural areas at the time. He was always appreciative of my efforts when I went out and scouted fir Morton West and was impressed by my specific details to certain things that they could never see on film as many remember it was 8 mm reel to real film back in those days.
May he Rest In Peace Coach.. Knight Pride!
I
In1981 it was decided that the East and West Leyden athletic programs would merge and he was once again turned down for the head coaching job for the Eagles football program and then headed out to East Aurora high and took the Tomcats to the playoffs I believe in 1982. It was the following season in 1983 when he took the available head coaching job at my Alma Mater Morton West and the Falcons won the Des Plaines Valley League Championship. They defeated Gordon Tech in the Wednesday first round game but lost to Saint Rita in the second round Saturday game at the old St Rita football field.. The following season the Falcons did not make the playoffs and it was announced that the Morton West and East athletic programs would merge and before he waited around to see what they were going to do about the head coaching position he resigned and left and that's when he headed out to Downers Grove North and was very successful there before finishing at Wheaton St Francis
A very down to earth guy. I always loved talking to him about past football history like the formation of the Des Plaines Valley League which is now the West Suburban Gold. He recalled playing games at schools like Downers Grove South Hinsdale South and Addison Trail which had recently opened when he was playing at West Leyden and how they were all basically schools in the middle of rural areas at the time. He was always appreciative of my efforts when I went out and scouted fir Morton West and was impressed by my specific details to certain things that they could never see on film as many remember it was 8 mm reel to real film back in those days.
May he Rest In Peace Coach.. Knight Pride!
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