Now It’s Our Turn to Fight for Coach Piccirillo

For years, Coach Piccirillo has been the one standing on the sidelines, cheering our kids on, teaching them to believe in themselves, and reminding them to never give up. My son is one of those athletes!

Now, Coach Piccirillo is the one who needs us to stand beside him.

Coach Piccirillo is currently fighting pancreatic cancer, a battle he has been quietly facing for the past several months. And yet, somehow, he continues to do what he has always done—he keeps showing up.

He shows up for the kids.

He shows up for his athletes.

He shows up for his family.

He shows up for the game he loves.

He continues to give his time, his knowledge, his energy, and his heart, often carrying something most people could never imagine while still making the kids around him feel like everything is okay.

That is simply who Coach Piccirillo is.

His impact isn't limited to one town, one team, or even one community. Athletes from across the entire state have sought him out because of the coach and mentor he is. He has built relationships with young athletes from countless communities, and those relationships mean everything to him.

He doesn't just remember their names or their positions. He genuinely cares about these kids. He celebrates their accomplishments, encourages them through their struggles, and takes pride in watching them grow—not just as football players, but as young men.

For Coach Piccirillo, these aren't simply athletes he has coached.

These are relationships he cherishes. These are kids he has invested in. These are connections that have become such an important part of his life.

And perhaps one of the most special parts of his coaching journey has been that he has been able to share this passion with his own children.

Coach Piccirillo didn't just watch his son play football.

He trained him. He coached him. He taught him the game. And eventually, he had the incredible opportunity to coach alongside his son and share that passion with the next generation of athletes.

His daughter has also become an important part of this family football journey. She has spent countless hours videotaping the athletes that Coach Picc and his son are coaching, capturing their hard work, progress, and moments on the field.

Through both of his children, Coach Piccirillo has been given something truly special—the opportunity to turn his love of football into a family passion, creating memories with his son and daughter while doing what he loves most.

These aren't just football memories.

They are memories of a father sharing something he loves with his children.

As a Quarterback Coach and trainer, Coach Piccirillo has taken the knowledge, passion, and love for the game that he shared with his own family and poured it into so many other young athletes.

What he gives these kids goes far beyond football.

He teaches them about hard work, commitment, confidence, accountability, teamwork, resilience, and what it means to keep going when things get hard.

And now, things are hard for him.

Cancer brings challenges that no family should have to face alone. Between treatment, medical expenses, time away from work, travel, and the countless unexpected costs that come with this fight, the financial burden can become overwhelming.

We want to help take some of that weight off Coach Piccirillo and his family so they can focus on what matters most:

Fighting. Healing. And being together.

If Coach Piccirillo has ever coached your child, trained them, encouraged them, believed in them, celebrated their success, or made them feel like they mattered, this is our opportunity to give some of that love back.

And if you're one of the many athletes, parents, coaches, or families from across Connecticut whose life he has touched, we hope you'll consider joining us.

Because this isn't just about one town.

This is about an entire football community—and a statewide family of athletes and families who have been fortunate enough to know Coach Piccirillo.

For years, he has been the person telling our kids to stay in the fight, keep pushing, and never give up.

Now it's our turn to do the same for him.

Let's rally around Coach Piccirillo and his family. Let's show him that all of those years of giving his time, his knowledge, his heart, and his support to our kids did not go unnoticed.

Every donation matters. Every share matters. Every prayer, message, and gesture of support matters.

Coach, you've spent years teaching our kids how to fight for the next play.

Now we're going to fight alongside you.

❤️ #TeamPiccirillo

Thank you for standing with Coach Piccirillo and his family.

My name is Heather Elser, and I am the mother of one of the atheltes Coach Piccirillo has coached and trained. I organized this fundraiser to help Coach Piccirillo and his family during this fight against pancreatic cancer. Coach Piccirillo's daughter, Alyssa Ruta, has been added as the beneficiary of this fundraiser. All funds raised will be transferred directly to Alyssa through GoFundMe, and she will provide the funds to her father and family to help cover expenses related to his cancer treatment including travel expenses, medical bills, treatment costs, time away from work, and other necessary costs that arise during his time in treatment.