For 45 years, Joe Ranoia devoted his time, energy and love of sports to building a basketball program at Our Lady of Mount Carmel School.
The spirit of tradition and community was on full display the evening of Dec. 2 at Berlin’s Our Lady of Mount Carmel School.
Students, alumni, faculty, and families gathered to honor the extraordinary legacy of longtime coach and athletic director Joe Ranoia, who died in March. Before the boys basketball team season opener, the school gym was filled with applause and emotion for a tribute to the man whose leadership shaped generations of school athletes.
The tribute reflected the deep roots of the school itself. It opened in September 1956 to serve the Catholic communities of the Berlin area and was originally staffed by the Irish Sisters of Mercy. Athletics have remained a cherished part of that tradition, and few individuals have influenced the program more than Coach Ranoia.
For 45 years, he devoted his time, energy and love of sports to building a basketball program that emphasized not only skill, but also character, teamwork and integrity. Ranoia’s impact was evident in the faces of the school crowd, filled as it was with former players, grateful parents and community members who came to celebrate his legacy.
Basketball league commissioner Phil Servus opened the ceremony with reflections on Ranoia’s unwavering commitment to the young athletes he mentored. School alumnus and former player Chris Deery followed with heartfelt memories of the coach who guided him “both on and off the court.” He called Ranoia one of the most influential figures of his childhood.
To recognize the coach’s lifetime of service, the league now proudly bears his name, a permanent tribute to a man who shaped not only athletes, but future leaders. The evening ended with a matchup between Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St. John Paul II that ended in a 53-47 win for the home team.
It was the conclusion of a fitting tribute to a legend.
