Published in the April 28, 2020 edition.
The first conversation that I had with Coach Tighe occurred in September 1954, during my freshman year at Wakefield High School. Several weeks before, I had ignored his appeal for all boys interested in Leaders Club to join.
When I realized what the Leaders Club was and approached Coach Tighe, in hopes of being allowed to join, I was told it was too late and I would have to wait until the following school year. My height of 4 feet 11 inches and weight of 98 pounds fully dressed (now 5 ft 10 inches and many more pounds) may have also contributed to that decision.
It was during this time that I learned that coach Tighe was also heavily involved in track and field and gymnastics. Both of these sports I went on to participate in during my following three years.
During these years I came to the conclusion that coach Tighe cared deeply about the young people that he was training no matter if you were into sports or not.
This point was driven home when in the winter of 1957-58 he asked me if I wanted to go to college. He stated that he was sure he could get me a gymnastics scholarship if I wanted it. Based upon my decision to pursue Industrial Arts rather than business or college courses and a refusal by the Guidance Department to let me change that decision I had to decline.
That conversation, and later ones, led me to believe that some day, when I finished my United States Air Force tour, I could make it in college and I did. He also kept track of former students through an information grapevine that I never figured out.
As an example, during the fall of 1958 I proposed to Sally Confalone, then a senior in the class of 1959. Coach Tighe, one day stopped Sally and asked her how I was doing and If she had heard from me recently. This totally stunned Sally as she had never talked to or been introduced to Coach Tighe. Someone had pointed her out to him and that would only have happened because he was inquiring about me.
I have taken the time to write this short piece because while coach Tighe is known by many as a great football coach, he is also remembered by some of us as a very excellent mentor, gymnastics and track and field coach, but most of all as a great teacher. He had a great impact on many lives, especially mine, and I think that he should be remembered as the gifted teacher that he was.
Charles L. McCauley Jr
Class of 1958