Coach Marty Pelosi Honored for 100th Westover Career Win

Middlebury — Marty Pelosi, Westover School’s long-time Varsity Basketball coach, was recently recognized for achieving his 100th Westover career win during the past season. Pelosi’s achievement was one of the season’s highlights celebrated at the Winter Sports Awards held at the School in March.

“This winter we had the opportunity to celebrate a coaching milestone,” said Westover’s Athletic Director Tiz Mulligan. “We would like to recognize and congratulate Marty on his 100thWestover career win vs. Fairport Harbor, Ohio, on December 30 in Orlando, Florida.” In those 100 wins is a CISAC Championship, which included both League and Tournament, as well as a third place finish in the Class C New England Tournament.

Since Pelosi joined Westover’s coaching staff in 2006, Mulligan said, “he has continued the tradition of excellence in our basketball program.” She noted that he had previously coached at Watertown and Terryville, where he had many successful seasons.

“I was fortunate to find him through a referee referral,” Mulligan recalled. “I knew he had to be a good catch if he was recommended by someone he was likely to be the hardest on. And if you have ever seen his ‘show’ on the court, you know what I’m talking about. He coaches the complete person with compassion and understanding but with the desire to push his athletes to be the best they can be, often better than they ever have an idea that they can be.

“His former players speak very highly of Marty,” Mulligan added, “and thank him for his guidance and personal attention. He has always said that he has been the one privileged to be coaching Westover girls, but we have been incredibly lucky to have his expertise, care, and talents that he has been very gracious to share with us.”

Kendall Mulligan, Westover class of 2008 and currently the Head Coach for Men’s and Women’s Rowing at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, played Varsity Basketball for her four years at Westover, including two years for Pelosi. “Marty is a one-of-a-kind coach,” she said. “A very technical coach, Marty knows how to coach and play the game smart and hard. His enthusiasm, dedication, care, and wit encourages athletes to be themselves as they develop on and off the court. One of the most influential coaches in my athletic career, Marty’s coaching allowed me to reach new heights while shaping me into the driven individual I am today.”

Westover’s JV Basketball Head Coach Craig Lamphier, has worked with Marty in the program for all 10 years. “Too many coaches are more concerned with their own egos than they are in doing what is actually best for the team. I have admired Marty’s ability to utilize the talent he has on hand and structure a system around that talent. Too often, coaches try to reinvent a player to fit ‘the system’ and both end up failing. A good coach also knows when to push the right buttons to either motivate or to calm down a player who might be having a bad game or some other problem. I have seen Marty do this for years, and I have tried to emulate some of those traits.”

Tiz Mulligan presented Pelosi with a plaque in recognition of his achievement. He ended the 2016 basketball season with a career total to date of 106 wins.

Westover is a selective boarding and day school in Middlebury, Connecticut, with more than 200 students in grades 9-12 from 17 states and 19 countries. The School offers its students more than 20 Advanced Placement courses as well as signature programs in science, engineering, art history, and music.

Westover Coach Marty Pelosi is presented a plaque in recognition of achieving his 100th win as a Westover coach by Westover Athletic Director Tiz Mulligan.

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