(Editor's note: many years ago I wrote a two-part story that dealt with (at least in part) the death of Coach Daric Beiter from Davie High School. I was able to do that because he was someone I knew well from my coaching days, someone that I considered a friend, and his death touched me deeply and personally. Since then, I have struggled with the unavoidable truth that I could never write the same way about the passing of other coaches (or athletes) in our state, simply because I didn't know them as well. It's one thing to report the facts when such a tragedy occurs, but it's another thing entirely to capture the spirit and life of a person in a memorial that will be meaningful without seeming cheap, generic, or opportunistic. For the record, our policy here at NCRunners is to only report the facts of someone's death, unless there is someone available to us that can do a memorial the right way.
This article was written by Rodger Shull, an NCRunners reporter that had the great fortune to be among the many that were permanently influenced by Coach Legnetti. He was able to write this for the same reasons that I was able to write about Coach Beiter, and I think you'll agree that he did a wonderful job - perfect, in fact. I hope nobody feels that we have neglected other people whose deaths were just as meaningful to those who loved them; it wasn't that we didn't care, but rather that we didn't feel up to the job. In the future (for sadly, we all know that this will not be the last time we lose someone important to our North Carolina running community), if you feel that you are the one that can do that job and do it right, we would welcome any and all guest submissions. You have but to contact me, if the circumstances seem appropriate. -Coach George)
Video profile on Page and Legnetti last year
2013 article on Legnetti from the Greensboro News & Record
In December of 2013 I texted my high school track coach, Phil Legnetti, wanting to catch up with him and hear how he had been. I knew he had been dealing with health issues since I graduated from Page High School in 2011, but I had not realized how serious it was. He had just gotten out of a rough surgery where the doctors had to fuse three of the vertebrae in his back. I was shocked to hear this, but even more amazed when he threw in a joke at the end of the message saying, "Lost all flexibility in my back...my high jumping and pole vaulting days are over."
Legnetti lost his long battle with cancer last Wednesday, August 5th. The fact that he was still able to laugh in the midst of cancer shows his character, which I have always admired. He had an unwavering belief that if we worked hard, we could achieve any goal that was set before us. He gave us no room to doubt ourselves.
During indoor track season my sophomore year, my only goal all season was to run under 5 minutes for the mile. I had one last race to do it and I was determined. I started way too fast and I had to fight hard, but every lap Legnetti cheered louder than everyone else. Right when I crossed the finish line having run 4:58, my coach came right up to me to congratulate me and tell me what a breakthrough that race was. For him, there was no accomplishment too small to celebrate.
I also respect him greatly that he never tolerated whining or complaining or just wanting to take a race easy. He taught us that if something was hard we don't throw in the towel; instead we put our noses down and worked. He taught us this because that is exactly what he did.
I visited him in early July at the hospital where he had already been for a month. We were catching up and joking around like we have done when the nurse stopped in the check on Legnetti. She asked him what his pain level was. He nonchalantly responded, "8 out of 10." No whining. No complaining. He still had the determination to recover. Unfortunately, his faith was stronger than his body.
Now I would like to address all Page High School runners directly. Legnetti loved you guys until the very end. Nearing his death, he still took the time to tell me how he was so proud of everything you all accomplished last year and how he knows you all can do great things this year.
Keep working hard. Run in a way that honors Legnetti.
If you would like to share your memories of Coach Legs, a memorial Facebook page has been set up in his honor.
(Photo by H. Scott Hoffmann/(Greensboro) News & Record)