Falana retires as Haddonfield coach

Phil Anastasia, Inquirer Staff Writer

Posted: Friday, May 31, 2013, 7:45 PM

Joe Falana, one of the founding fathers of the modern era of South Jersey soccer, has retired after 38 seasons as head boys' coach at Haddonfield.

Falana, who took over the program in 1975, won 625 games and led Haddonfield to 24 Colonial Conference championships, 18 South Jersey championships, and seven state championships.

"I had the opportunity to coach a lot of nice kids and good soccer players," Falana said Friday. "We had a lot of success. There are a lot of great memories."

Falana said the "apex" of his career was coaching his sons, Kyle and Bryan, members of the program during the decade of the 2000s.

Falana also credited assistant coaches such as Jim Dugan, Jeff Brown, and John Deitelbaum for their roles in the success of one of South Jersey's premier programs.

Falana's teams were known for their physical style of play and their ability to excel in close, highly competitive games.

The Bulldogs long have enjoyed one of the best home-field advantages in South Jersey with tremendous success at the cozy confines of Scout Field.

"Coach Falana will be remembered for many years to come," Haddonfield athletic director Lefty Banos said in a statement. "His passion, competitiveness, loyalty, and commitment to HMHS athletics will live on through his players and the pursuits of their own individual goals and dreams."

A teacher in the Pennsauken school system, Falana said there was "no one reason" for his decision to retire.

"It got to the point where I was thinking there were other things I could do in the fall, and this might be the right time," Falana said.

Contact Phil Anastasia at panastasia@phillynews.com. Follow