Luciana Era Begins at Mahopac, New A.D. Takes over July 1
By Examiner Sports Editor and Columnist Ray Gallagher
As of Wednesday, May 6th, there’s a new sheriff within the Mahopac High Athletic Department, which welcomed aboard former Pelham A.D. Stephen Luciana with arms wide open.
When former Mahopac High Athletic Director John Augusta left the district in the spring of 2019, the district turned to ol’ reliable — Frank Miele — to lead the way in its time of need. Miele did just that, providing a year of stellar leadership, reconnecting the athletic department with Mahopac’s student athletes and coaches.
“I would say that’s one thing that I am most proud of,” said Miele, who came out of retirement to reconnect all parties and establish a base for his predecessor. “This last year of my career may be the best year I’ve ever had. It was a blessing, bread from heaven. It was the greatest year ever. As I look back, they did me a favor by asking me to return. The emails I’m getting regarding my retirement from kids, parents and co-workers brings a tear to my eye. But it’s time for me to put others ahead of myself, including my family and the direction of Mahopac athletics.”
That year ,well spent, indeed, will never be forgotten; for it redefined the essence of Mahopac sports and re-established its course.
Nowadays, it’ll take the perfect blend of ‘old school’ and ‘nu skool’ to fill Miele’s shoes; someone brash enough to say no when parents come charging through the doors, yet someone cool enough to sashay his way around social media and the Mahopac Sports Association.
“I think we chose the right guy,” Miele said of Luciana. “Steve is a stand-up guy. I reconnected with the kids and coaching staff and feel like we’re in a better place than when I arrived. I feel like Mahopac is a mushroom ready to pop, and Steve has all the tools at his disposal. He’s going to do an awesome job. I’m hoping that when he retires, he’ll be able to say the same things I’m telling you today: That being a part of Mahopac was THE reward for my career.”
The veteran A.D., coach, teacher and administrator, who proudly served the district for nearly 40 years with two stints as the head of the Mahopac athletic department, will now hand the reins over to Luciana, who served Pelham admirably but called Mahopac “a dream job” and one he expects to be around for a long time.
“My goal is to be at Mahopac for 18-to-20 years,” Luciana said. “This is a really special opportunity. I didn’t want to leave Pelham, but once this opportunity presented itself it became a dream job for me. I can’t begin to describe how excited I am to start, I wish I could start today. It is my hope to build upon what Coach Miele did during his tenure at Mahopac. I think my strengths, my passion and my pride will be a great fit for Mahopac.”
Mahopac Superintendent Anthony DiCarlo’s due diligence is expected to pay off for years to come. Luciana resides in neighboring Carmel, and his wife, Erin, is a 1993 Mahopac graduate. He is a vested choice, who could provide the much-needed commitment and stability Mahopac seeks.
After serving seven years at Pelham, with a previous stint within the City of Yonkers schools, Luciana, the all-time leading basketball scorer (1,361 points) at Section 9’s Chester High School, is excited about being closer to home with his three children.
“It’s a much nicer commute,” he joked. “I hope to be able to make a few of my kids’ games, too.”
Luciana has some big shoes to fill and inherits a community rife with athletic pride, one that expects to contend in all sports, but one that longs to have sectional-championship-thirst quenched.
“You can see it at every level and every sport,” Luciana said. “From CYO to travel, you see the intensity of the Mahopac community.”
Contenders across the board in most team sports, Mahopac High hasn’t hoisted much hardware of late. Luciana does not profess to have a magic wand that will instantly change the fortunes of every athletic program, but he will have an open-door policy his coaches can fall back upon when needed, and he assures that a sound commitment to the Mahopac Sports Association and its feeder programs is uncompromised. Additionally, building strong relationships with neighboring Carmel High is a point of proclamation for he and Carmel A.D. Susan Dullea, whom he has worked closely with in the past.
“We want the Mahopac/Carmel rivalry fun again,” Luciana said of Putnam County’s greatest rivals. “Heck, my own son called me a traitor when I took the job, so I know how deep this rivalry runs, but our goal is to build a strong relationship and take the rivalry to the next level in terms of fun and involvement for the entire community. I want to involve the kids of all ages in our biggest events.”
Miele will remain firmly entrenched in Mahopac athletics, his legacy secure. He will help ease Luciana into his new position, will advise and enlighten him to his new surroundings and leave no stone unturned before his departure.
“Looking back, I have no regrets,” Miele said, “and I want the same for Steve, the coaching staff and the student athletes of Mahopac. I’ll be in those bleachers because the blue and gold is in my soul.”
Luciana’s soul is in it to win it. He hopes to hit the ground running and has an ambitious plan to include Mahopac High in the Unified Sports program, which aims to provide an inclusive, educational and fun experience for special ed students. He hopes to have Mahopac join a number of other schools in Westchester and Dutchess Counties offering the Unified Sports program.
Unified teams are co-ed athletic teams made up of students with and without disabilities. Students train and play together, with the goal of having fun and forging new friendships. A partnership between Special Olympics New York and the New York State Public High School Athletic Association launched the Unified Sports program among local school districts. Luciana was a Section 1 pioneer for the effort while at Pelham.
“Unified was one of my proudest accomplishments to bring to Pelham, and it is my hope that we can bring this to Mahopac as soon as possible,” said Luciana, a SUNY Cortland grad. “It was a standing-room-only event at Pelham and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house at times. It’s a very emotional, moving experience I hope to bring to Mahopac.”
It has been my observation that Mahopac leaves no stone unturned when it comes to athletics, so I suspect this mission will be accomplished with arms wide open.
Seems like Mahopac has a keeper; let’s hope so.
Ray has 33 years experience covering and photographing local sports in Westchester and Putnam counties, including everything from Little League/Travel Baseball to varsity high school prep sports and collegiate coverage. He has been a sports editor at Examiner Media since its inception in 2007.
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