“I respect you, you respect me”: Ron Marchesi impacts student athletes’ lives
Credit: Georgia Panitz
Coach Marchesi makes himself available during lunch to offer entertaining stories and motivational advice to athletes and colleagues.
June 13, 2017
Ron Marchesi, a long standing Hackley coach, is a walking embodiment of the old saying “tough love”. His love for students drives Marchesi to come back year after year to coach middle school soccer, middle and upper school wrestling, and JV softball. Mr. Marchesi makes sure to teach his athletes discipline and respect, two virtues he learned to value most after serving in the United States Marines.
Marchesi was an outstanding athlete in high school. Though he focused on wrestling, he also participated in soccer, baseball and other sports. He recalls teaching himself how to play these sports and finds students today have it easier with more access to coaches and other sources for help. He also sees a significant drop in students’ discipline and respect for authoritative figures than they have had in the past.
Despite feeling that kids today have it easier than they did in his day, Marchesi still forms unforgettable bonds with many of his athletes. He makes sure to have comedic relationships with all of his athletes.
Sophomore Ismene Germanakos, sister of two former wrestlers, recalled Marchesi giving cannoli to her brother George after every wrestling match. “I treat [my athletes] like my own kids, I bring lunch and snacks for them,” Marchesi said. “They’re my friends. I’m their friend.”
Marchesi has coached for over 40 years, the last two decades of which he has spent at Hackley. He came to Hackley after hearing about how great the school was from his son and throughout his two decade career at Hackley he still appreciates how great Hackley’s students are.
“Coach Marchesi is able to connect with kids of many different age groups, seniors respect him just as much as 6th graders” said sophomore Jason Mark. Jason also praised Coach Marchesi for his good constructive criticism and able to find a balance between tough love and being “super supportive.”
Marchesi’s reputation at Hackley is one of the best despite only being a coach of a few high school teams. His tough, but compassionate, and his funny personality propelled him to his iconic role at Hackley
Although He has been at Hackley for more than twenty years, any student who gets to know him will immediately love him for his humorous and compassionate personality. When asked to remark on his long career at Hackley Marchesi said, “I must be doing something right, I love my [athletes] it’s all about having fun.”
