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sPotLiGHt on . . .

Bob D’Ettore ’73 accepts a service award from Principal Ted Mancini ’88
and President Mike Daley ’79 at the faculty awards breakfast in June.
Bob began his 41st year of teaching at Aquinas this school year.

Bob D’Ettore ’73

40 Years and Still Having Fun

nyone who has been part of the Aquinas community knows
Athat there is a gravitational pull that somehow, some way,
brings you back to the school; just look at the numbers. Th is
school year there are 35 alumni on Aquinas’ faculty and staff
and another 30 who coach. Bob D’Ettore ’73, who began his
41st year of teaching at Aquinas this past fall, says that it was no
mistake that he ended up back at his alma mater.

It was the infl uence that Father Carter, Coach Rosmarino, John “Th e key is teaching them skills. Give them all the tools
Uriah and others had on him that really made him consider they need and then whatever happens, happens,” said Bob.
a career in both teaching and coaching. Bob said, “What they “Character building and teaching life lessons within what you
did for me and my classmates, the way they handled things, I do is the most important thing, for coaching and teaching. It’s
wanted to do that and I wanted to do it here. I didn’t want to do one and the same.”
it any place else.”
Sean LeBeau ’98, who returned to Aquinas in 2016 as a physical
So aft er graduating from Butler University in 1977, Bob education teacher, knows this to be true from his experience
returned to Aquinas to interview with Father Gallens, who gave as one of Coach D’Ettore’s students, players and now colleague.
him not only the teaching position in Phys Ed, but also three “He defi nitely has a set of values that he tries to instill in his
algebra classes and one geometry class to teach. He did that for students,” said Sean. “He’s teaching them to be humble, mentally
three years – a memory he laughs at now. tough, and to have the integrity to always do the right thing.”

Th e transition from student to colleague was not completely One of the things he remembered most about Coach D’Ettore
smooth as Bob remembers the awkwardness of addressing his was that he always had a way of changing the game up, whether
prior teachers. “Rich Pilliter was here and the fi rst day I saw him it be the rules or some of the equipment so that it was fun and
I said, ‘Mr. Pilliter, how are you doing?’ and he said, ‘Rich.’ I told fresh. “Th at had a big infl uence on me and it’s something I’ve
him my brother’s name was Rich and that I was Bob. He said, tried to replicate as a teacher,” said Sean. “He’s still my coach,
‘no, call me Rich.’ Th at was really strange to get used to. I think and I’m a lot of times still his student except now I get to tell the
it took me two or three years before I called Jerry Maguire by kids what to do, too.”
his fi rst name.”
In his long and meaningful career that Bob described as coming
In the four decades that have passed since then, Bob has “full circle,” there have been many students and players like
seemingly done it all. In addition to his PE classes and the Sean; students who have found a mentor in Coach D’Ettore and
geometry and algebra classes he taught early on in his career, students who have inspired him to continue to do what he loves.
Bob has also taught psychology, business math and his newest “I’m still having fun and as long as I’m having fun every day, I’ll
class, principles of coaching; he has moderated chess club, and keep doing it.”
has coached bowling, tennis, golf, and football. Aft er all of that
he maintains that “kids are still kids.”
Check out the other AQ alums who currently
teach, coach or work at Aquinas on page 55.
8 AQUINAS LANDMARK | SPRING 2018