Sasko remembered as family man, coach, friend
Submitted photo
Paul Sasko is pictured along with his daughters, Leah and Marla, his son, Matt and his wife, Shelly. Sasko, the longtime, highly successful coach of the Belle Vernon girls soccer team, died suddenly on April 2. He was 55. In his honor, the Belle Vernon Area soccer family will present his family a plaque and it will be matted at the entrance of James Weir Stadium.
Bill Hughes
The first time I spoke with Paul Sasko, it was for a preseason story during his first season in 2005 as the Belle Vernon Area High School girls head soccer coach.
“I am new to this and have never done an interview before,” Sasko quipped with his patented laugh before asking a serious question. “You aren’t going to make this hard, are you?”
We finished about 10 minutes later, but Paul called back four or five times asking if he could change a quote.
That was the beginning of an 11-year professional relationship, but I am more honored to say that it was the dawn of a personal friendship.
A friendship that came to an all-too-soon end Saturday as Paul suddenly passed away.
As I received simultaneous texts late Saturday afternoon from a pair of friends well-known in the soccer community, T.J. Mattey and Marc Bellora, I was in shock and deeply saddened.
As a coach, Paul’s numbers were staggering.
Eight section titles in 11 years, a 172-42-10 overall record, his section record was 127-12-7, and his teams from 2005-2010 went 65 straight section matches without a loss.
Let those numbers resonate, especially the 12 section losses in 11 years.
But for Paul, it was never about himself.
Anytime I would point out something he was doing successfully as a coach to include in a story, his answer never changed.
“I am blessed to have great players, Bill,” he would say humbly before praising the girls.
“Put them in the paper. They are the ones playing defense or scoring, not me.”
To say that Paul was humble is an understatement.
In 2012, I covered BVA in the WPIAL semifinals when it lost to Mars 2-1 at Gateway.
I sat with A.D. Jesse Cramer in the press box and when asked about Sasko, Cramer did not hesitate to share his feelings.
“He is the best coach I have ever had and wish all of my coaches were like Paul,” Cramer said that night. “He is low-maintenance and does everything the right way.”
Paul taught his players about soccer, but more so about life.
In my 18 years as a freelance sports writer, I have dealt with some coaches who were great people, but Paul heads the list.
I told him that several times and each time he deflected praise.
I remember back during his second season, BVA opened in the Monessen Kickoff Tournament against the hosts.
Monessen, at the time, was coached by my dad.
In that game, BVA “only” won 5-2.
When I asked Paul after the game if he took it easy because my dad was coaching, Paul, in typical Paul fashion, praised Monessen.
“Your dad has them playing well and gave us all we could handle,” he said smiling.
That was Paul being Paul deflecting praise yet again.
Our preseason interviews shortened over the years, and we became a well-oiled machine for results via emails and texts.
This past August, Paul told me that he would be stepping down after the season.
Never once did he ask for that to be “off the record,” which is coach-speak for sharing something that he did not want in the paper.
He trusted me and knew I would never say a word.
Fast-forward to October 28th when BVA lost to Central Valley, 3-1, in the WPIAL AA quarterfinals at Peters Township High School.
Before the contest, I went onto the field to shake hands, as was our norm for his matches that I was covering.
Instead of a handshake he pulled me in for a hug.
“Is this still it if you lose,” I asked him before he gave his patented smile. “You da man” was his only response.
After the loss, I met with Paul on the field for his last post-game interview and he once again pulled me in for a hug.
“This is it,” Paul said with a smile before nodding to his wife waiting for him.
“I have to keep the boss happy,” he said laughing.
I told him to let me know when he would inform Cramer that he was stepping down so we could do one last story.
In typical Paul fashion, he resisted.
“I don’t want a story about myself,” he said before hearing me out about how he deserved it.
“Well, I will only do it if you write the piece.”
Ultimately, circumstances kept me from doing it and when I told Paul I wouldn’t be writing it, he said he wouldn’t do one.
Again I had to convince him.
For as well-known as Paul was as a soccer coach, he was 10 times the person and an even better family man to his wife Shelly, son Matt, and daughters Leah and Marla.
My condolences go out to them, and I shared as much at Paul’s viewing yesterday.
Paul never said a bad word about anyone, and I doubt anyone ever did about him.
Those who knew Paul will tell you that his friends were also like family.
What kind of friend was he?
When Paul heard that my eight-year-old niece Abbey Zuraw was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma last April, he asked how he could help.
Paul and Shelly frequented the church my sister, brother-in-law, and niece go to, and one day this past summer, he went up to them after mass.
“Are you Uncle Billy’s niece,” Paul asked Abbey as she smiled and shook her head yes.
“Wait here, I have something for you.”
Moments later, Paul came back with a soccer ball, soccer socks, and a card for her.
He did not stop looking out for Abbey there.
This past November, we did a pro wrestling fund raiser for her and a month prior, Paul reached out to me about the show asking how he could help.
I told Paul that we were going to line up sponsors for matches and wrestlers, and 30 minutes later, he emailed me.
That quickly, Paul lined up over $1,000 in sponsorship donations.
That was typical Paul, helping others.
Tuesday, we finally received word that Abbey’s cancer was in remission and I could not help but think how happy Paul would have been to find out.
Maybe he even put in a good word.
Last Thursday, two days before his passing, Paul and I exchanged our last emails as I wished him luck with his latest gig of playing in his band, Ferrante and Sasko, with his good friend Dave Ferrante.
He was to play Saturday night at The Trailside in West Newton.
In the email conversation, we agreed to grab dinner this week to hear how the gig went and how my trip to Dallas for WrestleMania went.
His last words to me were, “Sounds good! Have fun in Texas. You da man!”
My last reply was, “I strive to be the man, and you are setting a great example of how to do that!”
That’s the truth.
Ask anyone who knew Paul.
To those of us who had the pleasure of knowing him, he truly will always be remembered as “da man.”