Birth date: Sep 12, 1938 Death date: Nov 19, 2011
“Coach” Albert Joseph Merola, Sr. , 73, of Solvay, New York, played to the last whistle on Saturday, November 19, 2011, after a courageous battle with cancer. Coach Merola was born in Syracuse, New York on September 12, 1938 to Dr Read Obituary
Doreen and Nila, the services were beautiful, we were so blessed to have shared some fun times with all of you. We will remember the fun times at the barn and horse shows, laughing and just enjoying our girls at Mike's. Al was a wonderful man we are so thankful we were part of his life.
All our love to you and Nila, Barb Dennis and Sarah
It's really hard for me to believe that somebody other than my mother and father could have a such a profound influence at the age of eight years. But Al Merola had that kind of effect on my life.
I met him when I was in second grade at Manlius Elementary School - he was working as a substitute gym coach for Mrs. Matthews.
He became our gym coach the following year when we became third graders at the Pleasant Street School in Manlius.
For the next three years he taught us football, basketball and baseball and most important, at recess every day in the winter played "grab" football with us. Mr. Merola played QB for the two teams of third through fifth graders. He showed us how to block, and run pass patterns. He ran every kind of offense including the wishbone almost immediately after Darrell Royal introduced the offense at Texas. I never had more fun in my life.
When I was in fifth grade he asked a few of us to play basketball with him and some high school students in the old Pleasant Street gym after class. We loved it.
He left to become the Solvay football coach when I was in sixth grade. The guy who replaced him, was a decent teacher but nothing like Mr. Merola.
I never had a chance to meet up with him as an adult or even as a high school student. I never had the chance to tell him what he meant to me - even though I was just a little kid.
And so, again, it's hard for me to believe that I could be so influenced by a guy at such a young age, but that's what happened with me with Mr. Merola.
And it's hard to believe that a guy could be so much better than anybody else at what on the surface would seemed at the time to be a pretty non-descript job - elementary school gym coach. But he was better than anybody else at it and he demonstrated to me that it was not at all easy or non-descript. It was a very difficult job and an influential job and he was masterful at it.
Andy Greenberg
Fayetteville-Manlius, Class of 1977
John,
Our sincerest sympathy to you and all your family; we were very sorry to hear about the loss of your brother, Al.
Norman and Theresa (D'Eredita) Jarvis
I am so very sorry to hear about Albie. My thoughts and prayers are with your entire family. What an impact he made on so many lives - may you find comfort in reading all these wonderful stories. I'm sure he would be touched by all the heartfelt comments people made.
It's obvious what an inspiration he was to his family and friends. We can all hope when our times comes, we are as fortunate.
When you look into the sky - know there's one more bright star up there shining down
on your family.
My deepest condolences,
Lisa Langlois Corso...Class of 1985
Al was more than just a football coach to me...He was a mentor, father figure, and friend. He taught me many life lessons...integrity, work ethic and PRIDE to name a few. It is so hard to put into words the magnitude of what this GREAT man meant to so many people. I can only hope and pray that someday my son will have the same level of respect and admiration for me, that I had for Albert Merola!
RIP Albie..
Mark "Polack" Jankowski...Class of 1982
Doreen and family....Please accept our deepest sympathies; we know what a difficult time this is for you. We are out of town but please know we are thinking of you - and remembering so many special things about Al. I hope he is talking football with my dad and brother right now in a beautiful football stadium filled with nothing but happy memories and no pain! Take care.......with love, John and Rockette
Al influenced my sense of honor, tradition, and pride. But his most important lesson was about having passion for what you do. One would only have to watch Al coach to learn that lesson. Wins were not the measure of Al's success, it was his gift of teaching young men how to be winners that made him successful. I know that every student I teach or coach is getting a part of Al.
God Bless you at this time.
Jim Avery- Class of 1977
Please accept our condolences. Al was a very special person and will be sorely missed. I learned a great deal from him as a young administrator at Solvay High School. Kathy and I always valued him as a friend and colleague on and off the football field.
Kathy and Tim Barstow
I'm honored to have been Al's friend. My thoughts and prayers are with your family.
Andy Marsjanik
What a privilege and honor to have known Al as a colleague and friend for 30 years. He was an extraordinary teacher, mentor, and coach; having touched and molded the future through bonds of trust, loyalty and love among those so fortunate to have known him.
His legacy as an educator is enormous. Character, integrity, and a tenacious pursuit were always at the core of all that he stood for. In so many ways he has enabled a community of young people to, with confidence, find themselves and in time define their community wherever their lives may take them.
I am proud to have walked a career path with him for a time at Solvay High School.
Melanie and I send our condolences to Doreen, Albie, Roselle, Nila and all those who loved Al.
Bob O’Donnell
