My JC coach ran for him and said he was tough but funny.
Dude coached 50 years at the same place, he had to have done something right.
RIP
LRC note. This thread was initially entitled, "Al Cantello has dies (sic) He was a Hall of Fame XC and Track Coach at the United States Naval Academy." The OP asked us to correct the typo.
It should be noted that like probably all coaches, not everyone loved running for Coach Cantello. Here is a thread from a disgruntled ex-runner: My experience with Al Cantello, United States Naval Academy Coach from 1963-2018 - LetsRun.com.
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rojo wrote:
Here is a story from Navy when he retired after 50 - yes 50 - years as the head XC coach.
I wrote him back to let him know about the thread from a few years ago about the disgrunteled ex-runner. My friend replied, "He didn't suffer fools. You'd think USNA grads would have more grit than that."
Rojo, you know who that disgruntled ex-naval officer is. Wejo knows who he is. I know who he is. if he vandalizes this thread you should just dox him once and for all.
For the record, Cantello really wanted me to go to the Naval Academy. I just had no desire to be controlled 24-7. The freedom to chase horny college girls seemed to be preferable to being stuck in a coop with horny plebes.
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jav guy wrote:
Cantello is a true American hero. Yes, he was tough, but 99% of his athletes appreciated that the most about him.
If you are in the Naval Academy and will be shipped out to war upon graduating, you need to be prepared physically and mentally. Cantello has helped to produce many high ranking Navy heroes, astronauts, etc. No safe spaces.
His sense of humor was one of a kind. He could make anyone laugh until they cried.
RIP
I guess i should be proud that i made Cantello laugh until he cried.
To get into the Naval Academy you have to go through a full day battery of physical and psychological testing. The Naval Academy hosts a yearly high school indoor track meet every year. Cantello saw me, sprinted across the field, then yells at me, "Malley, why the hell did you tell them you smoked marijuana?" I said, "Coach, everybody my age has tried smoking pot, and besides, I thought there was an Honor Code at Navy?" He said, "That's after you get in, you idiot!"
Yeah, he was one of a kind.
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I was in high school in Annapolis and my coach allowed me to work with the Naval Academy Plebes (freshmen) and the then head coach (Jim Gherdes) welcomed me and it was Coach Cantello who was coaching the plebes at that time (1964-65) for XC and indoor and outdoor. He called me Annapolis High and would shout across the track "are you college boys going to let Annapolis High beat you". 30 years later I attended an indoor track meet at the Naval Academy and Contello was coaching. He walked up to me and said "You still running, Annapolis High?" Had not seen him in 30 years yet he remembered and was warm and welcoming. Now, he did have a rough side and could really get on you as well. If you read David Maraniss' book on the Rome 1960 Olympics Coach Contello is promonent in the story for stealing the Russian flag from the main venue one evening after celebrating with some other athletes. He was quite a person and a wonderful coach.
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“Since arriving at Annapolis in the summer of 1963, I have seen many swan songs. Some end well and some don't. Mine will end well. Retiring under my own power, happy about my successor and satisfied with my career. The Naval Academy's men's cross country program is storied and deep thanks to the sacrifices of generations of midshipmen I was honored to coach.” - Cantello on retiring after 55 years. The legend took navy xc teams to nationals in 1972, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1997, 2016 and 2017 championships. The 1985 team recorded the highest finish for a Midshipmen squad as they placed 7th at NCAAs. More importantly, Cantello dominated the Army-Navy rivalry with 37 wins over the Black Knights in his 50 years in charge. The program's went undefeated between 1973 and 1986. RIP to a coach, a legend, who knew how to inspire winners on the grass, track, under the sea, in the desert, in the skies, in space, and in life.70
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malmo wrote:
Rojo, you know who that disgruntled ex-naval officer is. Wejo knows who he is. I know who he is. if he vandalizes this thread you should just dox him once and for all.
I agree. Anyone that insists on slandering a deceased person, within 24 hours of their passing, should be awarded no anonymity.
If Cantello was mean to this person, we can see why. This individual has no courage, no heart, and piss poor character. Cantello was just trying to build character that this individual clearly lacks.
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I agree 100%. I would love to know who this guy is.
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About ten years ago I was walking around the Naval Academy after going through the Academy’s excellent tour.
i walked by the track and saw Mr Cantello. I had met him years before but was apprehensive about approaching him. I said hello, and told him my father was in the NCAA javelin finals that he won. He remembered my father, and he had a wonderful smile at the memory. Little things can mean a lot.
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He was a very nice man wrote:
When I moved to the DC area in 1974 and guys in my club got to talking about local college coaches his name would always come up. There were two things that were always mentioned. One was that he was a real "old school" type of coach and the other was that he'd been coaching at Annapolis since before Chester Nimitz was toilet trained or at least it seemed that way.
Eventually I left the DC area, drifted around, ended up in Massachusetts. I really never thought about DC area coaches in all that time. But in 2010 my oldest son was a freshman running at a Patriot League school. I went to the championship meet and learned that Al Cantello, the guy who'd been coaching at Navy "forever" in 1974 was STILL coaching at Navy. Amazing! RIP to him.
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I ran for Al for 3 of my years at the Academy. I can say that he was truly a jerk in my opinion.
”Great coach?” Not so sure. He didn’t really coach, he used tactics to try to his runners to tough things out.
Developing them as runners? Understanding running, taking them under his wing and taking care to coach each person on his team? Certainly not.
But I moved on and focused on my career in the Navy.
He retired a few years ago and now he’s passed on. What good will come from this slander campaign?78 -
I only met Coach Cantello for a brief time, but he was very kind. I had a race on the Naval Academy Course this fall which my grandfather came up to and Coach Cantello had come to watch. He and my grandfather had coached against each other for many years and I had heard some stories about his time there so my grandfather introduced me to him after the race. Rest in peace Coach Cantello!
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