The San Marco Dedication Ceremony was held on December 14, 2012 with a full house on hand to honor Coach San Marco. The event and fundraising efforts raised approximately $345,000 toward renovations of the Jim San Marco Gymnasium.
The older high school gym was originally built in the 1950’s and is in desperate need of a facelift. Edgemont School Foundation will fund a grant to modernize the space into a state-of-the-art physical education teaching and learning facility. The upgraded space will benefit all students and the P.E. Department and is anticipated to be completed in summer 2014. Additionally, the team meeting room will be updated with new, modern technology and equipment. The updated facilities, named after Coach San Marco, are a fitting way to honor the legacy that he leaves at Edgemont.
Jim San Marco has dedicated over 44 years to the Edgemont Community. A graduate of Edgemont High School, class of ’63, Jim was a standout athlete in football, basketball and baseball. He captained several varsity teams and won many titles and awards — most notably, the 1963 Con Edison Scholar Athlete Award. After graduating from Ithaca College, Jim returned to Edgemont as a PE teacher, eventually becoming Athletic Director.
Jim has coached many Edgemont varsity teams over the years, with particular longevity in baseball, soccer, tennis and basketball. With over 500 career victories and a winning percentage over .800, his teams have achieved remarkable success. His soccer teams alone amassed a 211-67-24 record. The girls’ tennis team went 67-16-1 with three trips to the State Championships. Over 19 seasons, the boys’ tennis team finished 188-14, won league and/or section titles in each year, and had a stretch of 95 consecutive wins.
Coach San Marco has won Coach of the Year Awards, Athletic Director of the Year Awards, and several other leadership and service awards. He served as a New York State clinician to certify soccer coaches and wrote the Section One Tournament Booklet, a “bible” used for over 20 years. He is also the author of the acclaimed book Coaching Kids to Play Soccer: Everything You Need to Know to Coach Kids 6-16 (Simon & Schuster 1987).
Jim is a true gentleman who has always put children first and led by example. His students readily recall the long-term life lessons he taught, such as: “If you fail to prepare, you are preparing to fail;” “The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra;” and “In every game, we win or we learn.”
Jim has been married to Lesley for 42 years and has two daughters