Another Passero behind the bench
Even as a teenager playing junior B, Anthony Passero knew one day he would end up behind the bench of the Fort Erie Meteors.
The 28-year-old Fort Erie native grew up around the game with his father, Tony Passero, owning and coaching the Meteors for decades and older brother, Nik Passero, also suiting up for the team.
“I always wanted to coach, I always wanted to coach with Nik,” Anthony Passero said. “I never thought it would happen this soon. I wanted to coach since I played junior B. I always liked that part of the game.”
Anthony Passero played parts of five seasons with the Meteors and wore the captain’s C in his final year. He then played four seasons of NCAA hockey split between Buffalo State and Oswego before returning home where Nik Passero was planning to step behind the bench as head coach, only to have the COVID pandemic stall their plans for a year.
When play resumed, Anthony Passero took his place on the bench as associate coach, a position he finds very rewarding.
“I think I’m a good communicator and I love being around guys that are willing to work hard and try and win a championship and we’ve created that around here,” he said.
Anthony Passero runs the defence during games, is responsible for the penalty kill and power play, and also takes care of video for the team.
“I do whatever Nik says, whatever Nik needs I’ll do,” Anthony Passero said. “I handle as much of the hockey part as I can for Nik. I do my best on the ice wherever I’m needed and help in the dressing room with the players because it’s a huge job for one person to do — owner, GM, merchandise guy.
“It’s still a small fraction of what he does but it’s something to take off his plate.”
Nik Passero is appreciative of what his younger brother brings to the table.
“He does lots behind the scenes, takes care of these guys a lot and he’s always there, never misses,” Nik Passero said. “Between the two of us it’s a full-time gig, that’s for sure.”
The brothers love being behind the bench together.
“It’s awesome. We spent some time when we were both away at school where we weren’t around each other for four or five years. We’re very close. We see the game the same way. We have the same passion and emotion our dad did but there’s two of us,” Nik Passero said.
Anthony Passero said disagreements are few and far between.
“It’s cool because very rarely do we disagree with each other and if we do, it’s a one-minute argument as hard as we can go, and then that’s it. At the end of the day, he’s my brother. We’ve never sat on anything in our lives. It’s either in your face in that minute and it gets taken care of or we agree on it and move on.”
Anthony Passero also loves carrying on the family tradition stated by his late father.
“It’s so cool. You can tell in us talking and coaching, it’s all because of our dad. We care 100 times more than a lot of people because it means so much more and we know how much he put into this for so many years. For us to be able to carry that on — there’s still people in the league he was friends with which is cool. We still deal with guys he started with.”
Down the road, Nik Passero has made no secret of his desire to coach at a higher level, which would leave the door open for his younger brother to step in as head coach.
“I think he could step right in today and take over for me,” Nik Passero said. “There is a lot of stuff he does already that takes it off my shoulders. That’s definitely a plan of ours to give him some runway and allow him to take over and when the time comes, he’ll be ready.”
Anthony Passero can see it too, but not right now.
“It’s all going to be timing based,” he said. “It’s probably inevitable that happens. I love being an assistant coach. I think I am better geared for that right now but who knows in a couple of years where that takes me. I’m pretty spoiled to be able to work under him. I think everyone around here and around the league notices the job he does so I have a head start learning from somebody. Eventually, I am going to have to work and learn under somebody else — it can’t always be in house with big brother — I would love it to be but probably unrealistic hockey path wise.”
The Meteors face the St. Catharines Falcons in a best-of-seven Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League semifinal series beginning Saturday in Fort Erie. Game 2 is Monday, March 25 at St. Catharines. Game 3 is Wednesday, March 27 at Fort Erie. Game 4 is Friday, March 29 at St. Catharines.
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