Vincent Cannizzaro, legendary Christ the King coach, dies at 82

Remembering legendary coach Vincent Cannizzaro

Vincent Cannizzaro, the legendary women's basketball coach for Christ the King High School, died Saturday after a battle with cancer. He was 82.

QUEENS - Vincent Cannizzaro, head coach of Christ the King High School's girls basketball from 1981 to 1999, passed away Saturday after a battle with cancer.

Now, he's being remembered by former colleagues, friends, and, of course, players-- some of whom made it big, including Sue Bird and Chamique Holdsclaw.

Holdsclaw, a graduate of the class of 1995, went on to play for three WNBA teams.

"He just had a composure, he had a confidence and a passion," Holdsclaw remembered in an interview with Fox 5 News. "And when he talked to you it pulled out this desire."

Cannizzaro led the team to 12 New York State Catholic High School championships and ten consecutive New York State Federation titles.

"He really was the Godfather of girls' high school basketball," recalls Bob Mackey, who served as Cannizzaro's number two for about ten years and is now the athletic director at Christ the King.

"He was the greatest guy," remembers Joe Arbitello, who played under Cannizzaro before the legendary coach made the switch to girls and principal. Arbitello is now Christ the King High School Principal.

"He had a special way of just speaking to people," Arbitello said. "I don't think in all the years I'd known him that I ever heard him yell. But he would win, and his team would respond to him."

"He changed the way we look at the game. He changed the game for a lot of the girls who now play it. And he's made it so much better for so many people."

He was the first girls coach to travel with teams around the country for tournaments. Until him, that was something only reserved for boys basketball.

"He brought in teams from other states to play us, and he would go play the best teams in other states," Arbitello said. "And I think it kind of just made women's basketball at the high school level kind of match what the boys were doing."

Holdsclaw was with him for part of his final days at the hospital. She says what she will miss most is "the love."

"He's the first person that told me, 'You're gonna change the game,' and I didn't think that was possible," Holdsclaw said. "He just helped me see the vision and for that I'm forever grateful... I'm going to miss him so much."

"I'm just glad his soul is at rest and at peace.