By Chris Vaccaro

Pride men’s basketball coach Tom Pecora said his family was an important factor in where would coach next season. As Hofstra athletic director Jack Hayes announced that the head coach’s contract would be extended through the 2010-11 season, his 13 basketball sons exhaled, knowing the family is still together.

“I told them just before we met that one of the reasons why I’m staying here is because of them,” Pecora said at a news conference at Hofstra Arena. “What a pleasure it is to coach young guys like this. I have a lot of friends in this business, and not all of them have a team like we have. The kind of young men that we have, that want to be coached, that want to grow up and that want to be held responsible.”

Junior guard Carlos Rivera has been with Pecora for three seasons and realizes the coach has made significant improvements and changes for the Pride to prosper as a team.

“He’s a great person,” Rivera said. “He has helped us so much this year. You can see a difference from when I first started three years ago.”

Rivera and junior guard Loren Stokes both said Pecora is a good man to talk to and is always there for them.

“He’s there for me when I need him,” Stokes said. “When I came here I knew it would be a good fit. He’s just a good guy and is there when you need someone to talk to.”

For many players Pecora is a father figure and certainly a leader on and off the court. Hayes said he’s glad the players can get over the hump of not knowing the fate of their head coach.

“For them to be here today was very important,” Hayes said. “I think there can always be anxiety that your head coach is going to leave and I’m glad we’re able to wrap this up and get it off their minds.”

Hofstra’s assistant coaches certainly would have taken a blow to their leadership scale if Pecora departed. Assistant coach Tom Parrotta may have been next in line for the job, but is happy with the results.

“He was able to turn [the program] around and get it going in the right direction,” Parrotta said. “He’s been an unbelievable ambassador and has been a great coach, a great friend and one of the best guys you’d ever want to work with.”

As recruiting season comes to a full swing, many new Pride players will be welcomed into a family that Pecora will be around for a long time.

NOTES & QUOTES:

According to reports from Newsday, Parrotta was said to have been a candidate for the head coaching job at Canisius. Parrotta, heading into his sixth season with Hofstra, said it’s similar situation to what Pecora just went through.

“My first love is here,” he said. “We’re from here, we’re happy here, the place is great.”

Jack Hayes said he was not contacted by any schools regarding Parrotta, but wants coaches to take the opportunity to look at positions of interest.