Dennis McSweeney, Islip High School softball coach, dies at 55

Dennis McSweeney’s dedication to high school athletics was unmatched. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for any athlete, whether they played for him or not.

McSweeney began coaching at Islip in 1992 and took over as the varsity softball coach in 2008. He also was the president of the Suffolk Softball Coaches’ Association and served as an assistant football coach at Babylon.

McSweeney died from a blood infection on Sept. 18 at Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip, his family said. He was 55.

“It was a complete shock,” said Cindy McSweeney, his sister. “We’re all devastated. It’s just a huge loss.”

Islip athletic director John Sparacio said the school’s social workers, psychologists and support staff met with the softball team to offer support and resources to the athletes.

McSweeney, who was born and raised in Islip, graduated from Islip High School along with his four siblings — Theresa, Billy, Debbie and Cindy. He played baseball growing up and was an All-Suffolk football player. He went on to play football at West Chester University in Pennsylvania.

McSweeney was a senior when Joe Patrovich became Islip’s football coach in 1986. He was Patrovich’s first captain and later coached with Patrovich at Islip and Hauppauge for about 15 years.

“He’s one of the most honest and loyal people I’ve ever been around,” said Patrovich, who has been the wrestling coach at Long Island University since 2014. “Whatever I needed, I knew I could count on him. Even though he was a huge softball guy, he was at every football practice and every event we had.

“When I started coaching wrestling, he was at every match. Even when I took the job at LIU, he would come to our matches and fundraisers.”

McSweeney was always around softball. All three of his sisters played the sport growing up and his mother, Rose, coached it.

“He was never married. He didn’t have any kids. Softball was his love,” East Islip softball coach Jason McGowan said. “He had so much love and passion for not only Islip varsity softball, but the whole Islip softball community.”

McGowan said he once went to Eisenhower Park at 8 a.m. on a fall Sunday to watch his daughter play in a tournament and saw McSweeney there supporting his varsity players.

Vanessa Juengerkes, who graduated from Islip in 2014 and played for McSweeney for four years, knew McSweeney since she was 8 years old. McSweeney was always at Islip Little League games offering tips and support.

“If you called him at 9 p.m. on a Monday and you needed to get a workout in, he would be there,” Juengerkes said. “He made himself available for you all the time. He had no ego and was genuinely in it for the good of his players.”

Juengerkes later coached with McSweeney for two years and now serves as the recording secretary of the Suffolk Softball Coaches’ Association. McSweeney spearheaded the annual Suffolk All-Star game at the end of each season and was instrumental in having the game and awards ceremony held at Farmingdale State College each of the last two years.

“He was really trying to grow the game and make it as big as possible and showcase his players, of course, but players from all over,” Juengerkes said. “His goal was to show off Long Island softball because he knew how special it was.”

McSweeney’s niece, Lauren, graduated from Islip this past spring after an illustrious softball career playing for her uncle. She led the Buccaneers to the Suffolk Class A championship game in May.

“We were very close. He was always at our house,” Lauren said. “We did almost everything together.

“He would do anything for anyone. Even my friend from Sayville would text him because she wanted to work on playing shortstop and he would take her down to the field.”

Lauren, one of McSweeney's eight nieces and nephews, returned home from her first semester at Mercy University for her uncle's visitation on Sunday. Many former players, including last season’s entire softball team, also were in attendance. Two of Lauren’s former teammates flew home to be there. Even some umpires went to pay their respects.

“Dennis was so loved," Debbie McSweeney said. The Babylon football team came dressed in their uniforms, paid their respects and then left because there was no room for them to stay."

Babylon football coach Rick Punzone said McSweeney coached with him for the last six years, including the last few years as a volunteer, and never missed a practice until he was hospitalized last week. Punzone spent 21 years as Babylon’s softball coach, which is how he met McSweeney.

“I’ve never met a more dedicated softball coach,” Punzone said. “He would leave my three-hour football practice in October and run over to do an offseason Islip softball practice at night.

“He was very optimistic about everything. He brought a lot of laughter to the coaching staff and the kids. You won’t find one kid that would say a bad thing about him. The Xs and Os were great, but he was such a good person and a true friend. That’s what I’m going to miss the most.”

The visitation for McSweeney was held on Sept. 22 at Overton Funeral Home in Islip. His cremation was private.