When you all talk about commitment, you talk about Vin Catano. He has served as Catholic Memorial’s head coach of cross country, indoor and outdoor track for over 30 years and 100 successful seasons. CM athletics have built on traits of “poise, tradition, and class” and Vin is the perfect example of all three according to principal Richard Chisholm. Vin’s distance runners have been the best in the state for over 25 years and his resume includes 4 EMass cross country crowns including the all-state title in 1982, Manhattan and CMI wins and most recently the Catholic Conference CC Championship in 2006. For many years, he also was the Race Director for the annual CMI Meet, an enormous undertaking of over 1200 runners of schools from Maine to Pennsylvania. His runners continue to score impressively in the Class and State meets, especially in the mile and two mile. Vin is so respected and admired by these student athletes, that this past winter one of his former runners, Mark Smith, attended an MSTCA Executive Board meeting with the specific purpose of the championing Mr. Catano’s Hall of Fame candidacy with an emotional plea for a coach, “who taught us everything.” A former Boston Globe Coach of the Year in 2002, coach Catano is a beloved figure at Catholic Memorial and continues to lead the entire track program, but more importantly, is highly respected and admired by his peers.
Inducted: 2007