Lou Giani Inducted into NYSPHSAA Hall of Fame
Lou Giani's competitive and coaching careers have brought the legendary Huntington High School wrestling mentor to dizzying heights. Last week he added to his lengthy list of honors received when the Blue Devil great was inducted into the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame during the organization's 89th annual banquet last week at the Fort William Henry Hotel & Conference Center in Lake George.
Giani became Huntington's first Suffolk champion in 1953. He went on to win a gold medal in the Pan American Games in 1959, represent the United States in the 1960 Olympics, develop more state champions than any other coach in New York history and gain induction to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma as a Distinguished Member, a feat achieved by only a small circle of high school coaches.
It's been a magical run for Giani, who moved from Manhattan to Huntington Station with his parents when he was 14 years old. In 40 seasons as a varsity coach, he compiled a record of 436-36-1 and a dual meet mark of 230-15. Five of his Huntington teams won New York State Intersectional Tournament championships and nine squads won county team crowns.
Giani's wrestlers won All-Suffolk honors a record 188 times and captured 61 individual county titles. He also produced a record 23 state champions and 53 All-State wrestlers. His teams went undefeated 28 times and won a record 117 invitational tournament championships.
The decorated coach's teaching career in Huntington was launched following a 19-year stint with the Grumman Aerospace Corporation, during which Giani rose to Group Leader on the Lunar Escape Module (LEM) project for NASA. He's a member of the New York State Wrestling Hall of Fame and the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame
Giani was chosen as the National High School Wrestling Coach of the Year three times. After stepping down as Huntington's head coach following the 2007/08 season, Giani worked in the program as a part-time assistant for several years. He is still involved with the Blue Devil matmen, running parts of practices, working with individual wrestlers and providing the coaching staff with valuable advice.
The annual NYSPHSAA banquet and induction ceremony in Lake George drew a crowd that dined on salad, prime rib, grilled Atlantic salmon and chicken piccata and enjoyed New York-style cheesecake for dessert.
NYSPHSAA Executive Director Nina Van Erk said the seven 2012 inductees are the "most decorated and successful" in the history of the Hall of Fame. Giani was joined at the induction ceremony by his wife, Rosemarie, oldest son, Lou, Jr. and assorted family friends.
The evening began with photos and cocktails from 6-7 p.m. at the stunning hotel overlooking Lake George and continued with dinner and presentations from 7-10:30 p.m.
"It was a really great night," said Georgia D. McCarthy, Huntington's director of health, physical education and interscholastic athletics. "I was so glad to see Lou honored for his success as a coach and impressed with how everyone was enamored with his bio."