Legendary Pacer Football Coach Mike Alberghini has passed away

[PacerLegend]

Longtime Pacer Educator/Athletic Director/Baseball Coach/Football Coach and for 1 season Basketball Coach and mentor to thousands at Grant High School has transitioned. Personally I know the man called ALBI by Pacer students and colleagues for 30 plus years.

Committed to a community with geographical challenges/societal economic disparities...while carving out a haven for young people to hone there talents and be successful any and everywhere. Championship highs--pipeline production of professional athletes and gut wrenching heartbreaks like watching a young man take there final breath in the Coach's arms.

Through it all he was more than a title-- a man who's example was a beacon of pride the example of all that is positive about being a GRANT PACER.

No room to tell all...exceptional WORK Michael Alberghini most people will never have the true LOVE/CARE you received from the many --all attained through your efforts that lasts many generations at Grant High and beyond~

 

[Pacer96]

Class of 96 Al was the Best father figure to many as well Rest Easy Coach 🙏🏽🙏🏽

 

[mrbig864]

Spent his whole career at the G, first leading section championship baseball teams, before leading section and state championship football teams. While there are certainly others in consideration, I’d say Coach A is the GOAT of HS coaches in the Sacramento Region.

 

[larry legend33]

Very sorry to read this. He impacted so many young lives in a positive way. That is truly his legacy.

 

[Pacer96]

Very sorry to read this. He impacted so many young lives in a positive way. That is truly his legacy.

I can’t even tell you the impact he had off the field some of us needed a positive influence always treated the bottom guy on the roster the same way as the stars 🙏🏽🙏🏽

 

[Streak One]

A true giant in the area of coaching. Enjoyed getting to know him a little bit when I first started out. Impact off the field outshined what he did on the field, which was a lot

 

[ankleassassin]

Inner city coaches who stick it out mean much more than sports.
Rest easy

 

[larry legend33]

I can’t even tell you the impact he had off the field some of us needed a positive influence always treated the bottom guy on the roster the same way as the stars 🙏🏽🙏🏽

Thank you for sharing Pacer96. Those guys don't come around often. What a legacy he left.

 

[Sacchiefs]

Class of 96 Al was the Best father figure to many as well Rest Easy Coach 🙏🏽🙏🏽

Welcome to NorCalprep family!

I 100% agree!

The thing is imo he didn't try to be in that role, or even ask for it. He didn't hold his tongue on how he felt, and he was good at calling us out on our bullshit. Something alot of the adult men around me didn't consistently do. I saw some of the toughest kats being humbled, most times in front of everyone. Talk back, he would get louder. Buck up, he'd get in your face. Work hard, you earned his respect. Acknowledge error, he would embrace you. Lose, he'd speak the truth. Win, show some grace.

He also knew when to pick his battles. He saw that look in your eyes and he knew when you were feeling defeated by life. Both of my parents were incarcerated my senior year, and he didn't hold back on me, but he also knew when to provide some space. And he never allowed people to feel sorry for themselves or play the victim role.

This was my experience. And for those who were so disrespectful to him on a Friday night, screaming profanities and threats. It made me respect him even more for how he handled himself. And no matter how much shit he talked to us, or with us. He never let an outsider disrespect a player, a student, or the community without giving them a mouth full! He truly cared about the Pacer community. As did his family, who were just as loyal.

I know everyone has there own experiences with Al, but these are some of the surface reasons that I will share with everyone as to why I saw him as a mentor / father figure.

Rip Coach Al, and thank you for being apart of my journey!

 

[PacerLegend]

Welcome to NorCalprep family!

I 100% agree!

The thing is imo he didn't try to be in that role, or even ask for it. He didn't hold his tongue on how he felt, and he was good at calling us out on our bullshit. Something alot of the adult men around me didn't consistently do. I saw some of the toughest kats being humbled, most times in front of everyone. Talk back, he would get louder. Buck up, he'd get in your face. Work hard, you earned his respect. Acknowledge error, he would embrace you. Lose, he'd speak the truth. Win, show some grace.

He also knew when to pick his battles. He saw that look in your eyes and he knew when you were feeling defeated by life. Both of my parents were incarcerated my senior year, and he didn't hold back on me, but he also knew when to provide some space. And he never allowed people to feel sorry for themselves or play the victim role.

This was my experience. And for those who were so disrespectful to him on a Friday night, screaming profanities and threats. It made me respect him even more for how he handled himself. And no matter how much shit he talked to us, or with us. He never let an outsider disrespect a player, a student, or the community without giving them a mouth full! He truly cared about the Pacer community. As did his family, who were just as loyal.

I know everyone has there own experiences with Al, but these are some of the surface reasons that I will share with everyone as to why I saw him as a mentor / father figure.

Rip Coach Al, and thank you for being apart of my journey!

100% accurate viewpoint....based on my frequent yearly interaction with Albi as he was referred in the time-frame we connected was at the adult level which if I shared the details of our interaction would reveal my capacity at Grant which is not the purpose of this forum

2 striking symbolic memories I have of Coach is watching Albi on the lonesome marking the white line boundaries from homeplate to deep rightfield prior to a Grant varsity baseball game in 90 degree plus heat...not easy work...he had left field next up

Another, is seeing his small size hatchback car parked directly outside the football stadium on a field years later that would be named after him...no other car parked there...seemed like his car was permanently at that location every time I was on campus which was often for years...