All three coaches played football at Rutgers
Ernie Gardner
(World War II vet)
Albert "Boomy" Malekoff
(World War II vet)
Ed Pacillio
Played Football at Somerville H.S.
(Korean War vet)
Our success came about because of excellent coaches.
These three men served as models of coaching and teaching that we all respected.
They would do anything for us and we would do anything for them.
They had high standards but respected us as kids who could succeed.
Not once in four years did I ever hear a coach use a profanity.
Ernie Gardner the leader and head coach. He could communicate with everyone. He knew talent and could teach to improve skills in all players.
Boomy Malekoff was the backfield coach of great skill and later, of course, the successful Varsity Coach at Somerville.
Ed Pacillio line coach and ex-paratrooper, used an exercise called “Jab” that he learned in the Army Patrooper school. It was designed to teach discipline, attention, and a full thrust forearm. He would yell Jab at any time during practice and all linemen had to assume thrusting position with arms pushed in front of your chest. This became a rallying cry for the linemen.
One of the most important things that Coach Gardner did was to focus only on next week's game.
He never had us look back at the past game or beyond the upcoming game. It was one game at a time!
We were blessed to have such a great group of coaches at Somerville High School.