Steve DiPietro (center) receives the 2024 Carroll Award from USA Lacrosse’s regional manager Harry Jacobs (left) and Rockville Centre School District administrator Patrick Maguire.
USA Lacrosse has named Steve DiPietro, boys’ head coach at South Side High School in Rockville Centre, N.Y. as recipient of the organization’s 2024 Gerald J. Carroll, Jr. Exemplary Coaching Award.
DiPietro has been coaching at South Side since 1998, serving initially as a varsity assistant and middle school head coach, before taking over as the varsity head coach in 2008. He has helped South Side capture five conference championships, earn five Nassau County championship game appearances, and win two New York state championships, including 2024.
Established in 1994, the Gerald J. Carroll Award annually recognizes one high school boys' coach nationwide. The award measures the success of a coach not in victories but in the care and guidance he gives to the balanced development of the young men who play the game.
The letters of support submitted on DiPietro’s behalf noted his selfless commitment to helping young players become the best that they can be and impacting their lives for the better, on and off the field.
“His kindness is constant and his demeanor is always calm and reassuring to every kid on his team…every kid. He coaches kids like he would want his own kids coached. He loves them like he would want his own kids loved,” wrote John DeTommaso, a member of the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame and an assistant coach at South Side for the past two years.
DeTommaso noted that DiPietro also does a wonderful job of navigating the internal and external pressures that come with coaching lacrosse on Long Island.
“Steve has coached for more than 20 years in a town that has high and sometimes unrealistic expectations when it comes to lacrosse. I know because I have lived in Rockville Centre for 30 plus years. It has not been easy, but Coach DiPietro has managed it all, the high expectations, parental pressures and the need for some in the community to win. But Steve puts kids first and always above it all. Steve is a gentleman with a heart of gold and a leader with ability to change lives.”
As a midfielder at Adelphi University, DiPietro was a member of the 1995 national championship team and the 1996 championship runner-up squad, before moving into coaching. He has been recognized previously with four coach of the year awards on the local and national level.
“Steve DiPietro is a remarkable individual who has made a significant impact on the lacrosse community, both as a player and as a coach. His dedication, passion, and commitment to the sport have earned him respect and admiration from his peers and colleagues,” said Patrick Maguire, director of Physical Education, Health, & Athletics for the Rockville Centre School District. “Beyond his coaching achievements, DiPietro has been a tireless advocate for the sport of lacrosse. His dedication to giving back to his community and promoting the growth of lacrosse is inspiring.”
For more information about the Gerald J. Carroll Jr. Exemplary Coaching Award, please visit usalacrosse.com/gerry-carroll-coaching-award.
