Amity Baseball Coach Sal Coppola's Eulogy to Joey Ciancola Was Meant to Be Heard

Joey "Joe Joe" Ciancola, 20, of Orange died on Oct. 27, after a brief illness while away at the University of Rhode Island.

He was a 2010 Amity graduate, the Athlete of the Year, a phenomenal baseball and hockey player and all around great kid.

His popularity was evident in the days following his death as the entire community mourned the loss. There was a moment of silence at the beginning of the varsity football game and fellow grads came home from across the country to attend his wake and funeral and pay their final respects.

Cody-White Funeral Home was packed throughout the calling hours with some people waiting in line outside for two hours or more.

On Saturday, Nov. 4, Holy Infant Church was filled to capacity with some mourners lining the back walls.

Joey was eulogized by many who loved him, his older sister, Lindsay, his best friend, his cousin and three of his coaches.

Locally, we know Amity Baseball Coach Sal Coppola and Hockey Coach Gary Lindgren as caring and compassionate and passionate about their players' performance on the field, on the ice, and in life.

Some residents have mentioned that they heard about the eulogies, and wish they could have heard them.

Editor's Note: Although I believe in respecting a grieving family's privacy, I also feel that the coaches' eulogies were meant to be heard. So I put together videos with the coaches voices over photos of Joey.

Here is Coach Coppola's clip featuring baseball photos.

I also have Lindsay's and the two other young people's eulogies, but will not put those up unless they ask me to or give me permission.