Impact.
Billy Graham said, “A coach will impact more people in one year than the average person will in an entire lifetime.”
And clearly you don’t have to be a professional, college or even a varsity high school coach to make that impact; not if you're Dennis Quigley.
Sub-varsity high school coaches, often tasked to inspire student-athletes who may never get to wear a varsity uniform, can still have a lasting impact, far away from the bright lights.
Nearly 50 years ago, Coach Dennis Quigley made just such an impact in a Little League-type setting.
Rick O’Brien, like it happened yesterday, remembers going 0-for-3 (three strikeouts) for the Harrison School Chiefs in a 1977 Roselle Summer League game when he got another opportunity to step into the batter’s box in a late-game, bases-loaded situation.
“The other team was chirping at me pretty good when Coach Quigley pulled me out of the batter’s box and said, "don't listen to them … You get in that box and hit the ball as hard as you can’.’’
The right-handed hitting O’Brien heeded his coach’s directive and said he hit the next pitch over the right fielder’s head. The ball rolled onto a basketball court, which allowed O’Brien to circle the bases for a grand slam and a victory.
“That was something I’ve never forgotten,” said O’Brien, a proud graduate of Roselle Catholic’s first co-ed class (RC ‘84). “I truly believe that particular at bat motivated me to remain in baseball.”
O’Brien played high school baseball for RC and was a member of the Roselle American Legion baseball team that won the 1983 state championship. In 2023, O’Brien and his Post #229 teammates – the last Union County team to win a state championship, he said – were inducted into the Union County Baseball Hall of Fame.
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Quigley has crossed paths with quite a few Hall of Famers in a coaching career that will be recognized April 19 when the Roselle Knights of Columbus (St. Joseph the Carpenter Council #3946) presents him with an award for his distinguished coaching career and positive impact on countless student-athletes.
On Sunday, Quigley will be surrounded by lots of family and friends when he goes home to receive the well-deserved recognition. He was raised in Roselle – “a great place to grow up,” he said. – and graduated from St. Joseph the Carpenter grammar school and Roselle Catholic High School (‘75).
When Ed Breheney became head varsity boys basketball coach at Sayreville High School, he didn’t have to think twice about his initial phone call to a potential assistant coach.
“Dennis was the very first person I called,” Breheny said. “Growing up in Roselle and knowing the Quigley family – I can still see Dennis’ dad’s service station – he was somebody who would be very trustworthy and very loyal, qualities you need in a good assistant coach.”
Quigley followed Breheney to North Brunswick High School, and for a few seasons they both served as varsity assistant coaches to Pete Clark. Breheney eventually became the Raiders’ head coach, won more than 400 games and was inducted into the New Jersey Scholastic Coaches Association Hall of Fame earlier this decade.
Breheney, who’s retired from teaching now serves as an assistant at Manasquan HS, can still recall positive memories of coaching with Quigley quicker than an all-star can dribble and drive to the basket.
“Dennis took a liking to kids who didn’t play that much,” Breheny said. “He always looked out for the eighth or ninth man on the team.
“We had a kid named Johnny Domino who usually didn’t play until we were up or down big. When he scored a basket, Dennis would start singing the Van Morrison song, ‘Domino.’ … We were down 20, but Dennis was singing and dancing on the sideline because he was so happy for Johnny Domino. That’s Dennis.”
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Quigley, who had two sons, Matthew Touhey and Jason Touhey, graduate from RC, returned to his high school alma mater to coach in 2002. He was the Roselle Catholic JV Girls basketball coach (and member of the varsity staff) for nearly two decades.
“DQ knew the game as well as anyone, but his love for teaching the game was his best attribute,” said Jim Sweeney, who played with Quigley in their grammar school games and encouraged him to join the RC GBB program. “He never met a kid he didn’ like, so when the RC JV girls needed a coach and I was asked for my input I didn’t need to think too long or too hard about Dennis being a good fit.”
It was a match made in hardwood heaven.
“I don't know if I ever met a more positive person than Dennis Quigley,” said Charlie Wischusen, a Roselle Catholic varsity GBB assistant coach for 15 seasons, a stint that included five Union County Tournament titles. “Dennis brought that positivity and optimism to his coaching. He treated every player with respect and enthusiastically encouraged all the players. Having said this, he also gave constructive criticism so players could become better.”
Wischusen, a 1971 graduate of Roselle Catholic, also coached softball at RC with Quigley.
“Coaching with Dennis was special not just because of the above statements but also because he understood the intricacies and nuances of the game and his input was vital to RCs success,” Wischusen said. “I am so glad I was able to coach with such a wonderful coach and person.”
A sentiment shared by all who coached (and crossed paths) with Quigley at the parochial school on Raritan Road and Pine Street, including Craig Vecchione, John Lyp, Tim Hagan and Jacqueline Biddulph. Catherine Biddulph was a long-time varsity assistant along with Wichusen.
Vecchione sat next to Coach Quigley on the JV bench for more than a decade. It also became quite common in The Lions’ Den to see Coaches Quigley and Vecchione – joined by their spouses (Lauren Quigley and Jane Vecchione) – in the same section of bleachers, opposite the Lions’ bench, watching RC Varsity GBB games.
“Besides a strong knowledge of the game, Dennis is a great coach because he cares so much about his players,” said former Dayton girls basketball coach and current Dayton softball coach Dave Rennie, who won more than 400 scholastic games on the hardwood.
“Dennis and I speak a lot about the X's and O's of the game. But what becomes immediately evident in these discussions is his support for each of his players. That support doesn't begin or end with basketball. He genuinely cares about them as individuals first and basketball players second.”
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Another famous sports quote, attributed to Leo Durocher, is “Nice guys finish last.” Not so in Coach Quigley’s case as – in addition to being part of the varsity team’s success – he twice led the Lions to the championship game of the Union County JV Tournament.
The 2012 JV Lions won the Union County Tournament, defeating Dayton of Springfield in the JV Final at Kean University.
Roselle Catholic girls basketball players always felt supported by Coach Quigley and many, many, many still do, far away from Coach Hagan Court.
“Coach Quigley always managed to find a positive, no matter the situation and he was sure we always felt encouraged and supported,” said Melissa Tobie, who played for Quigley in 2008 before scoring 1,000 points in three varsity seasons. “Years later he is still able to recall games and certain moments (better than I can) which shows just how much he cared about us and the program.”
Tobie, a three-time UCT champ in basketball and the RC’s all-time leading soccer scorer, put together a Hall of Fame career at Montclair State University, where she led the Red Hawks to the 2015 D-III Final Four.
“(Quigley) continues to support me and my growing family and has provided plenty of advice throughout my own coaching career.
Quigley, who stopped coaching following Covid-19, still might see as many basketball games as he did when he walked (and walked) the sideline.
“DQ was always such an encouraging, positive, and knowledgeable coach,” said Ashley Skrec, who played on UCT title teams on the JV and varsity levels. “He made every season so fun, both on and off the court. Whether it was celebrating a county championship at Dave & Buster’s in NYC or a trip to Dairy Queen in Cranford, those moments are something I’ll never forget."
Ashley Skrec completed her second season as coach of Cranford’s freshman basketball team, on the staff of her sister, Cranford varsity coach Allison Skrec.
“The support I felt from him as a player is something I still feel today, but now from the sideline as a coach. It’s really special to see him sitting in the stands, cheering on my players and continuing to support me in a whole new way. The way he coached me continues to shape how I support my own players.
Coach Quigley’s basketball cup was always half full.
“He was a coach who understood the importance of his words on young and developing athletes,” said Dolapo Balogun (RC ‘15), who also won multiple UCT championships with the Lions. “He continually poured positivity into me and made me feel that I could be the best athlete I could possibly be.”
Balogun, who played collegiately at Southeast Missouri State and the University of San Francisco, is the assistant performance nutritionist with the WNBA’s Washington Mystics.
“Coach Quigley played such a huge role in my basketball journey and career in sports,” Balogun said.
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Quigley, without even knowing it, might’ve had an impact on future hall of famer Dave Boff, who guided Roselle Catholic’s boys’ program to four Tournament of Champions titles in 15 seasons. Before he coached the RC Boys, Boff coached the girls’ team (JV & then varsity) at Gov. Livingston.
“The first high school game I ever coached was a JV game versus Quigs,” Boff said. “My team lost by 40 points, and his team was really locked in. It was an eye opener as to how prepared you need to have your team.
“Quigs is one of the most caring coaches I've come across. It didn't matter if his team was undefeated or below 500, he gave everything he had to the kids he coached and always worked to make them better.”
Even if the coach of a big-time Big 10 Conference team was in the RC gym on a recruiting trip while Quigley’s JV GBB team was scheduled to practice.
“We had to ask Tom Crean, the head coach at Indiana to conduct a workout for future NBA player Malachi Richardson on a side basket while Quigs and his team worked to get an out-of-bounds play just right.”
Before he left the gym, the Indiana and former Marquette coach, told Quigley, “Nice play, Coach.”
