My personal Tribute to Tony DiCicco

Born: August 5, 1948

Died: June 19, 2017, Wethersfield, Connecticut, U.S.

Dear Tony DiCicco,

A personal message from co-founder of Soccer Plus and friend.

I apologize for not sending my sincere condolences to your family as soon as I was informed of your passing. I was frozen by the news. I needed a few days to process this unexpected event while I was sitting alone in my hotel room in Tehran. Forced me to reflect to on our relationship.

 Tony, do you remember when I shared my dream with you to open a soccer retail specialty shop, soccer mail order catalog and goalkeeper camps while You were working under the hood of a car at your dad’s Hartford City Radiator Shop? You looked at me as if I was insane, but I said, “specialization eliminates competition.” Soccer needed you and I was determined to have you leave the radiator shop. You asked for time think about it. I met with you and Diane and we decided to form a partnership. In 1981 Soccer Plus was born. Why did I share my dream with you and not others? I admired your leadership, discipline, organizational abilities and goalkeeper talents. I remember standing behind your goal to get a close up view of your talents. You were a former baseball player and threw the ball like no one else I have ever seen. Your direction of your defenders was impeccable. You were a master at the art of goalkeeping.

Several years on, for reasons that are known by the DiCicco and Gaspar family, we dissolved the partnership. It was difficult, but I understood and accepted our decision. Our time together taught me much. Because growth is rarely painless, I learned even more about friendships, partnerships, and families, when we split. I took all of those experiences and did my very best to apply what I had learned to my future endeavors. I like to think that, like you, I achieved some success in my life. It’s important for me that you understand that you were part of those accomplishments. 

Since we parted ways, we both found the courage to pursue our passion. As time passed, we began to reconnect. Your passing so young is painful and frustrating. There was so much more I wanted to share with you. We always think that life offers us unlimited time. Your death is a stark reminder that our time is short. Your death ought to teach us that our time on this planet is precious. We tend to put off things that matter because we think that there will always be enough time: time to make that phone call, time to write that email, time to say the things that we want to say, time to reconnect… I attended your father’s funeral and you reciprocated by attending my father’s funeral. I remember you said to me, “I am sure your father is very proud on you”. Your words were very special and still resonate with me. Thank you for providing that moment of peace for me.

I admired your core values, particularly your love of family. You balanced perfectly your work obligations with your family ones – no easy task these days! You were one of the few who walked the walk; never compromising the strength of your convictions. It is there that your legacy lies – in the strength of your character, and how you shaped so many of the lives that you touched. It will forever be true that you moved the game in this country forward in a momentous way. You will be remembered for your successes, for your victories, and for your championship ways. But even more, you will be remembered for being a great man, a great husband, and a great father. You were a role model for a whole generation of men and women… That will be your legacy.

World Class Coach and World Class husband and father.

I was the dreamer and Tony you were the pragmatist. Our differences made us great together!

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