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MCC Daily Tribune Archive

MCC's Pioneer Women's Soccer Coach Gets Inducted


Charles Salamone, the pioneer women’s soccer coach at Monroe Community College, will be inducted into the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Hall of Fame on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2003 in Phoenix, Ariz. Salamone is the first women’s soccer coach ever to be inducted at the junior college level following MCC  Head Men’s Soccer Coach Nelson Cupello’s induction last year.

Salamone started the program at MCC in 1979 as a club team. A year later the program began competing at the varsity level and the rest is history. He coached the Lady Tribunes from 1979-1989 and compiled an overall record of 152-22-4. His team went to the national final four times and won it each time. He earned NJCAA Coach of the Year four times and NSCAA coach of the year once. His team also earned the Sportsmanship Award at the national tournament twice -- something of which he is proud.

Salamone speaks very passionately about his experiences at MCC. “I had so much support with the program. The late Joe Mancarella who at the time coached the men’s program helped me a lot. George Monagan the athletic director at that time was very supportive of our needs. I had a great assistant, Al Davis and a core of outstanding athletes. Rochester is home to outstanding soccer players and MCC sells itself. If you want it, it’s there. It just all came together,” explained Salamone. “It is a tremendous honor; it isn’t my honor, it’s everyone and anyone who was ever associated with the program.”

Salamone retired from coaching soccer at MCC in 1989. In 1991, he returned to coaching, this time to coach for Nazareth College for two seasons. He reunited with the MCC women’s program from 1993-96 as the goalkeeper coach under Head Coach Penny Fuehrer. When asked what his secret was to such success, he simply stated, “Recruit the best players you can. Give them all the support and training that you can and leave the rest up to them. Always look to challenge your players to make them the best they can be.” Coach Salamone currently lives in Sarasota, Fla., where he teaches history at Cardinal Mooney High School.

Robyn Pepicelli
Athletics
11/18/2003