The New Jersey track and field community was recently rocked by the sudden passing of Mike Pascuzzo, one of the state's greatest jumpers, coaches and ambassadors of the sport.
Mike, who passed away at the age of 63 this past weekend in the Poconos, leaves behind a legacy of greatness through his remarkable accomplishments as an athlete and his commitment to coaching and promoting the sport.
Known throughout track and field circles as "Scooze," Mike starred at Lenape High, where he set multiple records, highlighted by clearing 6-10 as a senior in 1981. All these years later and Scooze is still No. 9 all-time in NJ indoor history!
The best was yet to come.
Scooze went on to win a JUCO National Championship for Hagerstown in Maryland, and he earned NCAA All-America honors at Maryland, where he won an ACC Championship in the long jump.
Then on the global level, Scooze, made a huge impact, clearing his personal best of 7-5.25 in 1992, which has him still ranked among the top 100 high jumpers in U.S. history. At the 1988 U.S. Olympic Trials, after placing sixth at the U.S. Championships when he made 7-5, his bid to make the Olympic team came up short when he failed to clear 7-1.50.
When his competitive days came to a close, Scooze remained as passionate as ever and locked in on coaching the jumpers back at his high school alma mater. He mentored numerous standout jumpers at Lenape, including Musa Cooper, Dan Mitchell, and Ty Coughlin.
Many people knew Scooze through Vertical Adventures, a summer camp that he launched more than three decades ago that gave young athletes a chance to train with world-class coaches and athletes. A relentless promoter of track and field, Scooze, one of the most energetic and positive people you will ever meet, also started the Atlantic City Beach Pole Vault Invitational.
Scooze, made a lasting impression on the lives of everyone he ever met, and no one poured more into or cared more about what they did than Mike!
Here is a great story about Scooze by South Jersey track and field historian Reuben Frank
Steve Shaklee, the legendary coach at Cherokee High, was a very close with Scooze. He summed up his good friend perfectly.
"Mike Pascuzzo was one of a kind, a force of nature-6-4 inches of energy and enthusiasm,'' said Shaklee. "Whatever Mike set his mind to, he went after it, 100%. Fortunately for those of us in the track & field community, that energy and enthusiasm was directed toward our sport. Mike loved all of track & field but was most passionate about the jumps. As an athlete, he pushed himself to the absolute pinnacle of what his body could achieve. He dreamed big and always believed in himself. He once told me that to be a great high jumper, you have to possess an "irrational confidence.'' He meant that you must believe it before you can achieve it.''
"That was something he always tried to instill in those he coached,'' said Shaklee. "If you were an athlete of his, he would do everything in his power to help you succeed, but he also expected a lot from you. He could be a tough taskmaster but would also be the first to celebrate your accomplishments. You always knew where you stood with Mike. He held strong opinions. He wanted our sport to be great and he had little time or patience for those who accepted mediocrity. Mike worked harder than anybody I know, and he was always looking for ways to make things better; better for the athletes he coached, and better for our sport.
"Because he was so passionate, he could, at times, clash with others who didn't see things the same way, Shaklee said. "However, if you really knew Mike, you could not help but love and admire him. He took joy in helping others and I know there are many athletes of his who benefited not only from his coaching, but also from his life guidance. His love for his wife, Loretta, their daughter, Tess, his family and friends, and his rescue dogs, is perhaps the clearest indicator of what a kind and decent person Mike was. Mike was a friend, and I will miss him terribly. He had a great sense of humor, wonderful stories, and an easy laugh. My wife, Cricket and I, always loved spending time with Mike and Loretta. We will cherish those memories, and Mike's friendship, forever.''