February 24, 2005

Ms. Robin Moll
Vice President of Institutional Advancement
Cabrini College
610 King of Prussia Road
Radnor, PA 19087

Dear Ms. Moll,

My son is named John. He is a kind, happy, intelligent person. He is outgoing, and magnetic. People love to be around him. At four, he already understands loyalty and the value of work. He is empathetic and tolerant. He is active and sometimes a little loud. He watches things first and then masters them. He loves to teach others what he knows.

He is like his namesake in many ways.

John Dzik embodies all that Cabrini College was built to teach its students. He is a leader. He is a mentor. He is thoughtful. He is articulate. He is passionate. He is caring. He is the kind of man that people should name their kids after.

I will admit that I am biased. I love John. I told him that for the first time a few weeks ago as I saw tears glistening in his eyes after yet another Cabrini win. It was late in the evening and the gym was almost empty. He had talked to his players, still teaching, even after a win. He had greeted parents and friends and alumni. He had given a gracious interview to the student reporter covering the game. He still had time to stop and ask about my children. He still had time to thank me for driving over in the cold. He has handled this situation with grace. I have known John for 16 years. I have never been prouder of him than I was in the last few months.

Many of my happiest memories involve John and Cabrini. I was there for a few hundred of the wins and too many of the losses. I have seen him give a thousand pep talks and interviews; we have eaten countless late night dinners after games, practices or scouting assignments. We cut the nets down in the old gym in Grace Hall and we won in every corner of this country. He taught all of us associated with the team to wear the Cabrini name as often as possible and I have never been as proud to do so as when I was coaching with him.

John has always told his players that the alumni were the core of our program. He made sure to introduce us to his current players and often let us speak in the locker room and in practice. John wanted the players to hear what we were doing and how much we valued our degrees. He asked us to come back and he wanted them to see us at games with our families. He wanted them to see us cheering for them and remembering how happy we were at that age. He brought everyone together twice a year and I never saw him happier than he was with all of his players, young and aging, around him.

Everyone has lost in this episode. I am sure John Dzik will coach again, though his sadness and pain are evident. The young men who came to Cabrini to play for him will be deprived of his guidance. Cabrini has lost an embodiment of its mission and the support of hundreds if not thousands of alums. My children, however, have forever lost something they love – seeing their friend John coach the Cavs.

I wish I could do something to give that back to them.

Sincerely yours,

Chris Pesotski
Class of 1992

cc: Dr. Antoinette Iadarola
     Dr. Christine Lysionek
     Ms. Leslie Danehy