This year's class of inductees include Coach Victor Paternostro (Pope John XXIII - Football), Coach Michael Epstein (McMahon High School - Lacrosse), Coach Beth Powell (Northern Valley Regional High School - Girls Volleyball), Coach Robert Kent (St. Francis Prep - Baseball), Coach Dino Garr (Rye High School - Football).
The following brief bios were obtained from the McGuire Foundation website:
Coach Victor Paternostro has scored 354 wins, 63 losses and 5 ties. He is a member of the Sussex County Hall of Fame, Admiral Farragut Hall of Fame, and the Queen of Peace Hall of Fame. In ‘93 he was named Coach of the Year by the NJ Coaches Association, the NJ Herald, The Record, and the Star Ledger. In ’04, he was the recipient of the John Bateman Winners for Life award. Paternostro has coached 20 State championship teams and has been to the State finals 9 times and won 19 Sussex County Interscholastic League Championships. Elected to the NJSIAA NJ Coaches Hall of Fame in ’07, he is also an inductee to the NJ Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
Coach Mike Epstein began his lacrosse career at Norwalk HS in ’91 and also coached field hockey and girl’s volleyball. For the last 14 years, at McMahon, Coach developed one of the most competitive programs in Connecticut. The Senators were State Div. II Champs in ‘00 and Div. I State Runner-up in ‘05. Mike was awarded the Post Coach of the Year in ‘00 &‘06, FCIAC Coach of the Year in ‘07, Ct. HS Coaches Assoc. Coach of the Year in ‘05 and Ct. Lacrosse Coaches Assoc. Coach of the Year in ‘97 & ‘00. Mike serves as the FICAC Chair and sits on the State and All-American Committees.
Coach Beth Powell took one of the worst volleyball programs in North Jersey and turned it into a perennial state power. Her coaching record is 391-104, having lost 8 games and winning 123 in the past 5 years. The Star Ledger selected her team 4 of the past 5 years as the top volleyball team in NJ. Her teams have won 7 League Championships, 9 County, 6 State, 3 State Tournament of Champs and the Star Ledger #1 Team in the State 6 times. For 15 years, Beth has served with the NJ State Coaches Association, the NJSCA Volleyball Coaches Clinic, co-chaired the NJ State All-Star game and was coordinator for the BCWCA Volleyball Tournament. She received Bergen County Coach of the Year in ’96, ’00 & ’01, the Star Ledger Coach of the Year ’96, NFCA Volleyball Coach of the Year ’99, and NJSIAA Sports Award-Volleyball ‘99.
Brother Robert Kent has taught at St. Francis Prep for the last 42 years. He began as a history teacher and served as the Prep’s Athletic Director for 29 years, playing a significant role in continuing the school’s successful athletic tradition. On the varsity baseball level, he notched a record of 536-238, reaching the Finals 5 times and winning the City Championship 3 times. Brother Robert has been named Coach of the Year 5 times by The New York Daily News, 4 times by The Tablet, twice by Newsday, and twice by The New York Post. He was also named New York State Coach of the Year in ’95 and received induction into the CHSAA Hall of Fame in ’03. He will always say without hesitation, “Any of my success is due to the players and many coaches who have assisted me through these years.” More than 130 of his former athletes went on to play collegiate ball and 10 have played professionally.
Coach Dino Garr's impressive record includes 3 NYS Class B Championships, 6 NYS Final, 6 NYS East Regional and 7 NYS Southeast Regional Championships, 14 Section One and 17 Section One League Championships, 25 Section One Bowl Games and 4 undefeated, untied Season. He earned 5 Section One Coach of the Year awards, the ’05 Journal News Coach of the Year award, the ’05 NY Football Giants Coach of the Week award and received induction into the Westchester Sports Hall of Fame ’08.
Congratulations to the McGuire Foundation Coach of the Year honorees!
