Michael John Addesa, Jr., known to most as the original “Coach Addesa,” passed away peacefully on Nov. 29, surrounded by his loving family.
He was 77.
Born in West Roxbury, Mass., to the late Michael John Addesa, Sr. and Irene Guidi Addesa, he attended Boston English High School and matriculated to the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., where he was a standout on the football field.
The lifelong educator, hockey coach, advisor, and scout began his career as a high school history teacher and assistant high school hockey coach at St. Mary’s of Lynn. He soon moved into the head coaching position before later serving as the head coach at Randolph High School.
In 1974, Mike was hired as an assistant coach for the men’s hockey team at his alma mater, Holy Cross. After two seasons, he was named the head coach and continued building the Crusaders into a winning program. Soon after, Division I hockey came calling and he was hired as the men’s hockey coach at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. During his time with RPI, his teams set multiple team and individual statistical records, many of which stand to this day. Over the course of his 10 years coaching, the Engineers they won two ECAC titles and a NCAA championship, and he guided dozens of players on to the professional ranks.
After his time as a college coach, he spent a year coaching junior hockey for the SJHL’s Notre Dame Hounds. Addesa moved his family back to his home state of Massachusetts after one season in Wilcox, Sask., and became one of the early pioneers of junior hockey in New England, founding the Boston Junior Bulldogs in 1995. While advancing junior hockey on the east coast, he also served as a talent evaluator and player scout for several NHL teams, including the Detroit Red Wings, Calgary Flames, and Vancouver Canucks. Mike had a special knack for discovering the otherwise overlooked athlete, many of whom went on to have very successful professional playing careers.
Most recently he brought junior hockey back to the city of Worcester with the founding and management of the Worcester Railers Junior Hockey Club in 2018.
Throughout his life, Mike had a passion for growing and promoting high school hockey in New England, as evidenced by his support for and contributions to Hockey Night in Boston, from the time of its inception in 1972, all the way through this last summer’s 50th year of HNIB. Mike’s induction into the Massachusetts State Hockey Coaches Hall of Fame in 2002 was one of the proudest honors of his illustrious coaching career. He greatly enjoyed helping young people develop in their hockey playing careers and guiding them through the college selection and admissions process. He was proud to have helped launch the professional playing and coaching careers of many.
Mike’s two favorite places were hockey rinks and Pine River Pond in Wakefield, N.H., where he and his wife Mary have a home. When he wasn’t holding court in the lobby of (insert your favorite New England hockey rink here) you could find him admiring his beautiful view of the water, enjoying the many plants and flowers in his yard, and especially watching his family and friends “play at the lake.”
A loving and dedicated husband, father, and grandfather, he is survived by his devoted wife of 52 years, Mary Donnelly Addesa and their five children, Kimberly (Dunham) and her husband Robert of Danvers, Mass., Michael III and his wife Mimi of Andover, Mass., Christopher and his wife Lauren of Milton, Mass., Brian and his wife Sara of Peabody, Mass., and Matthew and his wife Cristina of Andover. Mike’s 13 grandchildren Charlie, Christian, Emily, Colby, Owen, Teddy, Cooper, Echo, Luke, Sam, Madeline, Grace, and Rosemary were his pride and joy. Mike is also survived by his sister Mary Lemieux of Sandwich Mass., his brothers- and sisters-in-law, and his many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to The Thomas E. Smith Foundation, a non-profit organization, started by Coach Addesa’s former players, whose mission is to better the lives of those affected by and living with paralysis through financial and emotional support, as well as supporting preventive innovations that decrease the risk of spinal cord injuries. Checks can be made out to The Thomas E. Smith Foundation and the address is: P.O. Box 1624, Andover, MA 01810. Or visit https://thomasesmithfoundation.org
Relatives and friends are invited to attend. Visiting hours will be held in the Robert J. Lawler and Crosby Funeral Home 1803 Centre St. West Roxbury, on Tuesday, Dec. 6, from 3-7 p.m. A funeral mass will be celebrated on Wednesday, Dec. 7, at 10:00am in the Holy Name Church 1859 Centre St. West Roxbury. Private interment.
