BHS Hall of Fame Bios: Al Pelligrinelli

Al Pelligrinelli was a teacher and coach at Berlin High for 28 years, 1976-2003.

During his football coaching career he won or shared the league championship 15 times, was a state semi-finalist eight times, and finished with a Berlin record of 208-83-5. Many of his athletes went on to play at the Division I level.

Coach P started  the girls track program in 1978. His team won two league championships and had five individual state champions. All this without having a track to work on, having to rely on the parking lot for their practices. His teams had over 110 wins.

Coach P’s professional athletic service included: 1981-1987 NWC football committee chairman, 1983-2002 CIAC football committee member, 1983-1988 CHSCA football committee chairman, 1998-2000 CHSCA membership chairman, 1983-2003 CHSCA executive board, and 2001-2002 CHSCA president.

His high school coaching honors included being selected as the National High School Coaches Association Coach of the Year in 1999 and also 2004, CHSCA Coach of the Year in 1987, CHSCA Hall of Fame inductee in 1997, Connecticut Chapter National Football Association coach of the Year in 1978 and 1988, and named by the Central Connecticut Association of Football Officials Friend of Football in 2001. Coach P was featured on the ESPN special “Talk by Live” in 1994.

He was inducted into the CCSU Hall of Fame in 1997. He finished his career ranked fourth in wins by a Connecticut high school football coach. Coach P, was also one of the co-founders of the Berlin High School UpBeat program.

Pelligrinelli will be inducted-into the Berlin Hall of Fame on March 20, at the Crown Plaza, Cromwell. For ticket information, contact Marie Siegal at (860) 828-1115 or e-mail mvs7581@yahoo.com.

The Berlin High School Athletic Hall of Fame class this year features: former BHS coaches Al Pelligrinelli and Jim Day, and athletes Robert McCann (Class of 1956), Mauro Gozzo (Class of 1984), Rocky Urso (Class of 1987), Ken Pera (Class of 1989), Monica Early (Class of 1990), Forrest Conoly (Class of 1991), David Swanson (Class of 1991) and Lindsey Pulito (Class of 2000). The 1958 state championship baseball team will also go into the Hall as a team.