Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 11, 1993 TAG: 9304110022
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
MUSCARO'S SEASON ABOVE COMPARISON
The words "grace" and "pressure" may never again be able to be used in connection with a Timesland coaching performance.The job basketball coach Jim Muscaro did this year for North Cross, one of Timesland's smallest schools, gives those adjectives a new level of richness.
Muscaro, who has come close to being voted Timesland coach of the year in football and basketball, won the hoops award this year in a landslide. That in no way diminishes the accomplishments of William Fleming's Burrall Paye, who also was under consideration for orchestrating the Colonels into the Group AAA semifinals.
Muscaro not only coached the Raiders to a 27-6 record and their second Virginia Independent Schools state championship, but he did so during a time of immense personal tragedy.
Throughout the first part of the season, he worked his coaching duties around tending to his gravely ill wife of 26 years, Jeanie McKinney Muscaro. When she died Feb. 4, the team was moving into its most important stretch of the season. Muscaro quietly dealt with his grief after returning to the team almost immediately, continuing to maintain his customary steadiness in practice and on the bench.
"How he kept his mind on the game was totally amazing to me," said Dick Iofreda, an old friend.
Added David Dougherty, the headmaster at North Cross: "Only to those who knew him well was it obvious what he was going through. When he got onto the court, he was as sharply focused in his job as I've ever seen him."
Life must have been extremely difficult for Muscaro in other ways as well. For one, he was alone in the family house. Each of his three sons - Jimmy Jr., Dutch and Chris - had by then moved out, the last only recently. He'd also had the added hassle of a back injury to deal with. For Muscaro, a vigorous golfer and racquetball player, that was just one more problem he didn't need.
His stoicism was a marvel to others, but Muscaro took the attitude that it was nothing different than anybody else would do in his situation.
"There were a lot of people who pitched in and helped me a lot," he said.
Aside from the labors of his many friends, Muscaro got ample support from his employer. Dougherty granted Muscaro as much time as he needed to spend with his wife, who in her last days was in unimaginable pain. She stayed at home.
People such as North Cross teacher Dave Calvert and volunteer Mike Taylor also helped with the team when Muscaro couldn't make practice.
"The players were great, too," Muscaro said. "Their cooperation was outstanding. They did what they needed to do, whether I was there or not. We had great captains in Ryan Cook and Aaron Marley, and they saw to that. The team responded to whoever showed up."
The team seemed to grow closer during the ordeal. Led by such players as Marcus Cardwell, Mike Bryan and Montie Smith, the Raiders pulled away to win their last seven games and capture the state crown.
"They really played well," Muscaro said.
The team showed its support in other ways. The players wore black ribbons on their uniforms in tribute to Jeanie Muscaro, who was one of North Cross' most devoted fans. The players also pitched in and purchased a United States flag for the gym at the home Carter Athletic Center, dedicating the banner to her memory.
"People have been real nice to me," Muscaro said. "Things are coming along."
After the season, Muscaro has forged on into baseball. Not only does he coach the North Cross football team - which was the state runner-up this year - basketball and baseball teams, but he is the team's athletic director.
Muscaro was recognized this week as the state private schools basketball coach of the year.
Said Iofreda: "Tell me about another guy in the state of Virginia who coaches football, basketball and baseball, serves as the athletic director, then drives the bus wherever they go?"