The Long Island Junior Soccer League mourns the passing of long-time Massapequa SC and LIJSL coach and volunteer, Frank Fergus, on April 7. An Irish immigrant born in Castlebar, County Mayo, Ireland, Fergus was a tremendous soccer lover and one of the early pioneers of the Long Island Junior Soccer League, along with former league president Peter Collins. He served on the board of directors of both organizations and was the first inductee into the LIJSL Hall of Fame, in 1978.
Fergus also worked for Con Edison for 40 years and served in the U.S. Army from 1956 through 1958. But to the many who saw him give of himself on the Massapequa soccer fields, his greatest impact may have come in the role of coach.
“Mr. Fergus was my first travel coach, and in retrospect played a huge part in my falling in love with soccer,” said Jim Kilmeade, a former player in Massapequa and at Hofstra University who went on to work extensively with the LIJSL in several roles (including youth coach) and also worked as general manager of the Long Island Rough Riders during the height of their success. “He knew the game and was all about the kids. He let us play and never criticized a player, ever, and treated all of us like his own kids. We all loved playing for Mr. Fergus on his ‘Massapequa Dodgers Teams.’”
Kilmeade’s brother Brian, who also played under Fergus, said Long Island youth soccer owes a debt of gratitude to the coach.
“Mr. Fergus was not only one of the most knowledgeable coaches I had, but the kindest,” said Brian, who was another top Massapequa soccer player and coach, now a national bestselling author and co-host of the nationally syndicated Fox & Friends on the Fox News Network. “He was my coach in intramurals and travel, and he made all of us feel special. There have been few people in youth soccer who made more of a positive impact on more kids then Frank Fergus.”
Fergus, one of eight children, was married to his wife Patricia for 53 years. He is also survived by four children; James, Maureen, John, and Michael, and grandchildren Katie and Jack.
