WVHS alumni-turned-faculty reflect on homecomings past, Wildcat tradition, and enduring connections
Homecoming at Warwick Valley Central School District is a long-standing and deeply held tradition, a day of community, joy, celebration, and, of course, memories. This week, we’re talking to Warwick Valley alumni-turned-faculty, who are sharing their memories about homecomings past, and the meaningful ways in which the Wildcat customs and activities connect not just students, their teachers, and the community, but generations!
Main Street turns Purple & Gold during the 2021 WV Homecoming Parade
“We’re in a special place here, because homecoming in Warwick is significantly different than homecoming in other places,” said WVHS Athletics Director and Wildcats Football Head Coach Gregory Sirico (Class of ’85). “We’re a school that has incredible pride and really celebrates the school community on homecoming.”
Coach Sirico moved to Warwick for his senior year and said that he was taken aback by the display of school spirit throughout his new community.
“I couldn’t believe that there was even a thing called homecoming,” he said. “The high school I’d gone to, there was no parade, there wasn’t that homecoming vibe that we have here in Warwick. So, it was an incredible experience for me. I went to my first dance, and I really had a chance to connect with students as a new student coming in. It was awesome!”
Coach Sirico pointed out how few high schools across the state – even across the country – take homecoming to the extent that the Warwick community does in celebrating its “purple and gold” spirit. He finds that homecoming gives Warwick students invaluable opportunities to connect with their teachers and community in ways that other schools may not, due in large part to the homecoming traditions that Warwick keeps alive.
“We have the pep rally, the powder puff game, a bonfire (overseen by the Warwick Fire Department for safety), the dance, and of course the parade leading up to the big football game,” he said. “Our students get a great experience all week, and so does our faculty. It’s an incredible vibe here, and we’re lucky that we continue many kinds of traditions that other schools have let go.”
The 1984 OCIAA Champions WV Wildcats
Coach Sirico was part of the Wildcats 1984 OCIAA Champs team that will be celebrating its 40th anniversary during Saturday’s game. He remembers the excitement of that year’s homecoming game well.
“I think I took my hardest hit in a high school football game that day, running down that sideline,” said Coach Sirico with a laugh. “I remember Coach Garcia saying, ‘all right, you got one play off, now get back in there!’ It was a lot of fun, and I have great memories and lifelong friendships that I built then.”
During this year’s Spirit Week, teammates of Coach Sirico from the 1984 team have been visiting with student-athletes to share their memories and support.
“We’ve been lucky. Every day this week, we’ve had an alumnus from that team come back and talk to our current players,” said Coach Sirico. “The connection between the guys that played 40 years ago and the guys that are playing today, that’s a nice connection for these kids to experience. It’s been awesome.”
Warwick Valley actually has two Gregory Siricos with fond homecoming memories as both students and faculty members.
Coach Sirico’s son, also Gregory Sirico (Class of `19), is a teacher in the WVHS physical education department and former Wildcat player. It wasn’t that long ago that he was a student, having a blast taking part in Spirit Week events with his peers. He said it was always a great time of building friendships, and appreciates seeing it continue from his new perspective.
“Now, as a teacher, I get to watch these students doing those same things,” said Mr. Sirico. “You get to see the students bonding during that week, and it definitely brings a stronger sense of community, something we all rally around. Seeing the students doing that, it’s really cool.”
Mr. Gregory Sirico & Coach Gregory Sirico
Mr. Sirico did share that his favorite homecoming memory was scoring TWO touchdowns in front of an electric homecoming game crowd in Wildcat country.
This year, even though both Siricos are looking forward to all of the events coming up on Friday and Saturday, they are especially excited for the football game.
“We got to get that Spirit Trophy back,” exclaimed Coach Sirico! He was referring to the annual Warwick Vs. Goshen matchup for the Spirit Trophy, which happens to align with homecoming this season. “We let that [trophy] go last year, so the main focus of this year’s homecoming is to do our best, give our best effort, and to bring that trophy home!”
WVHS art teacher Rocco Manno is also a Warwick Valley alumnus (Class of `89), and former Wildcat football player, and remembers his homecoming days as great times spent with friends and teammates. Mr. Manno pointed out that the meaning which homecoming holds for so many Wildcats is clearly evident in the number of alumni who attend the Saturday festivities every year, both locals and those who travel from afar.
“And, it’s the young, the old, everyone comes back to root for their team, which is nice,” he said. “You’ll see old jerseys and letterman jackets. It’s really cool!”
As a former member of the varsity football team himself, Mr. Manno remembers that, technically, the football team wasn’t allowed to be at the parade, but that they also didn’t want to miss out on it.
WV Wildcat #65… Rocco Manno
“We weren’t in the parade, but we used to go and then hightail it back to the school. We’d go and watch and get back to school before we got in trouble,” he said with a laugh. “There were probably 20 of us, and you could see all of us taking off to get back to the school.”
Another detail Mr. Manno recalls from earlier parades was the lack of music, something that’s become an integral part of the homecoming experience in Warwick.
“We had no band at the football games; nobody was marching in the parade,” he said. “So, Greg Sirico actually put together a misfit band of kids to be the band for football games and so he would have somebody at the parade. We gave them old football jerseys and they were the Wildcat Band. That went on [for a few years] until the band program that we have now.”
“Yes, that was actually back in 2000,” recalled Coach Sirico fondly. “We got them uniforms and said, ‘we want you in the stands, it’ll be great.’ They bought into it, and the kids had a great time. It was fun for the kids in the band, it was fun for the kids in the stands, and it really helped build the atmosphere!”
Mr. Manno appreciates homecoming for the opportunities it provides for all students to participate in their own capacity, no matter their background, and for the unique connections it fosters between students and faculty. For example, since participating as a Warwick Valley teacher, he says it’s been nice to build relationships with students outside of the classroom.
“Being involved outside of class helps you make connections,” Mr. Manno said. “It shows the students that you care to show up for them, whether it’s to their football game, soccer game, or whatever it is, and you earn [their] respect to some degree. It’s nice when you see teachers doing these things.”
Coach Sirico agrees, “No matter what you are into as a student – maybe you’re in the band, you’re involved in a club – you don’t need to be tied to athletics. During homecoming, everybody celebrates the work we do, it’s about celebrating what we are about as a school district.”
As popular as homecoming has always been over the decades in Warwick, Mr. Manno said that he’s been proud to see it grow even bigger year to year. This goes for involvement, attendance, and in spirit, by both the students, the faculty, and the Warwick Valley community at large.
“It seems like we have a lot more people involved. This week, and especially on Saturday, you’ll see a lot of the storefronts will have purple and gold in their windows,” he said. “In my mind, Warwick has always been beautiful, and I think our town continues to change for the better. So, [support] like that really shows how everyone in our community cares.”