Scordino's life to be celebrated

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The Carmel High School community will honor the memory of 34-year coach and teacher Joe Scordino on Friday with a memorial visitation and service in the school's gym.

Scordino, 61, the head wrestling coach at Carmel for three-plus decades, died at home last Friday.

Memorial visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. in the gym, followed by a service. The Grayslake resident was cremated and his ashes will be present.

Athletic director Andy Bitto said that the service would include songs, prayers and eulogies by himself; Scordino's longtime assistant coach -- Bob Kuykendall -- and former assistant Mike Fitzgibbons, campus minister and a 12-year head football coach at the school. Scordino's brother, Lawrence, is also expected to speak.

Following the service, at approximately 8 p.m., there will be a gathering in the wrestling room, with refreshments, for those wishing to attend.

"I'm sure there will be a lot of stories being told," said Bitto.

Scordino was a member of two halls of fame, the Illinois Wrestling Hall of Fame and the East Suburban Catholic Conference Hall of Fame, compiling a dual-meet record at Carmel of 407-265-5.

A 30-year diabetic, Scordino had suffered from sleep apnea and emphysema the past four years and was forced to use a bedside breathing apparatus or a portable liquid oxygen tank at all times.

He was a familiar sight at Carmel wrestling meets, coaching from the first row of nearby bleachers, oxygen tank at his side.

He coached other sports at Carmel, including football, and as a teacher he instructed students in business law, finance, economics and history. He stepped down from his position as head wrestling coach in March, saying at the time that he would continue as an assistant to new head coach Kuykendall. He also relinquished his position as head of the school's business department at the beginning of the current school year, saying it was too difficult to continue due to physical ailments.