Oceanside’s Circle of Pride welcomes new members

November 13 was a night to celebrate Sailor pride.

Jayme Beamer, Bob Moltisanti, John Randazzo, Jim Mormile, Alex Rosen, Lore Swegler, Ron Antonasio, Mike Trotta, Ira Gibel, and the 1973 boys’ soccer team were inducted into Oceanside High School’s Circle of Pride at a dinner at the Knights of Columbus O’Connell Hall. In addition, the Orzano family was honored for its continued support of Oceanside athletics.

Beamer was a basketball and soccer player for the school, and later served as soccer coach for 16 years. Moltisanti coached lacrosse for 40 seasons, and for seven of those was named coach of the year. Under his direction, the Sailors won the 1996 county championship. Randazzo was a 1,000-point scorer in basketball. He later played college ball for Sacred Heart, and professionally in Europe. Mormile, after attending Oceanside, went on to earn All-America honors in lacrosse at Brown University.

Rosen was a champion high jumper and an All-American in college. Swegler, also a member of the CW Post Hall of Fame, earned All-County honors in volleyball and basketball at Oceanside. Trotta was an All-American wrestler who finished second in the state tournament in 2000. Gibel coached wrestling for 27 years.

The 1973 soccer team had an undefeated season, going 18-0. They scored 99 goals while allowing just four. Antonasio was one of the stars of that team. He went on to become an All-American at Adelphi University, and played professionally with the New York Cosmos.

The night was also a celebration of Frank Januszewski, whose vision made the Circle of Pride possible. Januszewski began his teaching career at Oceanside High School in 1956. From the start, he had a sense of history. “A school that has no past has no future,” he said.

Wanting to celebrate the school’s exceptional athletes — past, present and future — Coach Jan proposed a Hall of Fame, and not just a trophy room, but a space where the community’s sports stars would be honored for all time. Oceanside established its Athletic Hall of Fame in 1960, and Januszewski was pleased but not satisfied. For the next 55 years, with the help of curators Mike Limmer, Sean Keenan and Richie Woods, he worked tirelessly to make Oceanside’s Hall of Fame one of the most extensive in Nassau County.

In 2003, Oceanside unveiled its Circle of Pride, which included charter inductees Jay Fiedler, Steve Friedman, Patty Hanlon, Art Heyman and, of course, Januszewski himself. Today, the Circle of Pride offers visitors a look back at Oceanside’s storied athletic history as well as a glimpse of the promise of its future. Artifacts, displays and team pictures date back to the early 1900s.

All proceeds from the benefit will help fund the Hall of Fame.