Babylon Town renames gym and street for Tom Gargiulo, longtime youth sports coach

If you don’t know anything about Tom Gargiulo, you need only look to the gym at the Babylon Town Hall Annex to learn his calling.

The facility will now bear the name of the coach and longtime educator, and the street leading to the annex's entrance will now be "Coach Tom Gargiulo Way." Town officials held a ceremony at the gym — now "The 'Coach Tom Gargiulo' Health and Wellness Center" — on March 14 to celebrate the Babylon Village resident. Gargiulo has worked as the town’s athletic director for more than a decade. 

This year, Gargiulo, who spent 32 years as an educator with Eastern Suffolk BOCES, celebrates 50 years as a basketball and lacrosse coach. Gargiulo taught special education, and for most of his coaching career, he worked side-by-side with his father, Andrew. Known affectionately as “Coach G,” Tom Gargiulo, 67, spent more than 26 seasons as a coach for Bethpage High School and the past 14 with Wyandanch Memorial High School.

Gargiulo says he aims "to go on coaching a little while longer — if they’ll allow me."

Coaching basketball is an important part of his life, he said.

"When I sit on the bench and the game starts, I’m at peace," he said. "It’s a happy time for me."

Gargiulo, his colleagues and former players spoke with Newsday about his five-decade coaching career. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

What has been a highlight of your coaching career?

Being able to coach with my father for 45 years. Not many people can say that. In the middle of those years, one of my twin sons was able to coach with us, so it was three generations on the bench. Also, through the years, I’ve had five girls who were 1,000-point scorers. That was big.

What are the challenges of coaching?

Getting the kids to get to practice on time and do the things they’re supposed to do, like making sure they do their homework and stay up with their grades. If you don’t, you can’t play.

What is the key to being a good coach?

You have to work with them and teach them. You don’t get anywhere by screaming at the kids. If a kid misses a layup in a big game you say, 'It’s OK, you’ll hit the next one.' I always want to make it the kids’ happiest time for those two hours. Maybe that’s why I’ve lasted so long, because I really enjoy helping them out and doing the right thing for the kids and being there for them.

What are you proud of that you did for your players off the court?

How many are going to go to the WNBA? You just want to teach them to do well in school, go to college and hopefully get out of there with a good job. Basketball is great, but eventually you have to work.

Steven Davis, 42, athletic director for Wyandanch High School, 2021 — present:

He does so much more than [coach] basketball. You can see he’s teaching life lessons. He’s what they call a transformational coach. He helps to inspire them and help them grow each and every day.

Jenna Ifasi, 37, of Tampa, Florida. Bethpage High School basketball team, 2003 — 2005:

He was so accepting and so calm, no matter the scenario. The love for the game you could feel continuously. High school is not easy. Having that group and him always making it a safe place made it so it was more than just playing basketball, it was being part of a family.

Katelyn Dunn, 37, of North Massapequa. Bethpage High School basketball team, 2001 — 2005:

This is a guy who loves basketball and he’s so knowledgeable about the game. But it wasn’t just about basketball. He spoke so much about family. He talked about service and being a good person and what that means. He wants to make you a better person and you do take those lessons from him with you for the rest of your life.

Briana Davis, 23, of Wyandanch. Wyandanch High School basketball team, 2017 — 2020:

I never heard him yell — on the court or off. Even if you messed up a drill, we’d have to redo it, but he wouldn’t get mad. He was always there for us. If you needed a ride to practice or to a game. He would help us get jobs in the summer. He was always asking how we were doing — mentally, physically. He keeps in touch with us, even if we’re not playing for him anymore.

By Denise M. Bonilla

denise.bonilla@newsday.comdenisebonilla

Denise Bonilla has worked at Newsday since 2003 and covers the Town of Babylon, including the villages of Lindenhurst and Amityville.