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Bay Shore native Guy Leggio helped build one of the strongest high school wrestling programs on Long Island.
And now, the longtime East Islip High School coach was honored for his work.
This week, the South Shore resident was inducted into the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame, joining his father, Jumper, a dominant youth wrestler, who was inducted in the Class of 1999.
“This is a great honor,” said Guy at Thursday night’s ceremony at Watermill Caterers in Smithtown. “To be here with my dad and everybody, I’d like to thank the whole community for putting me in.”
Guy, who was among 12 inductees (full list below), coached at East Islip from 1990 to 2015. During that time, he had 270 wins, 115 losses, and 5 draws. He also led his team to 85 league, 14 county, and three state championships.
Since retiring from coaching, Guy continues to serve his community as a volunteer firefighter in Bay Shore, as well as serving as the president of Bay Shore’s Board of Education.
the 2019 inductees
- Gary Bettman: Current National Hockey League commissioner and Half Hollow Hills West graduate
- Bob Costas: Legendary sports broadcaster from Commack
- Jerry Figgiani: Sachem alumnus who is a world-renowned mixed martial artist
- Bria Hartley: North Babylon native and professional women’s basketball player
- Sam Kornhauser: Stony Brook University football coach who led the program from Divison III to Divison I over 22 years
- Bill Kropp: New York State’s all-time winningest boy’s volleyball coach who coached at Sachem. He recently founded St. Joseph’s College first-ever men’s volleyball team
- Guy Leggio: Bay Shore native who helped build one of the most successful wrestling programs in Long Island history at East Islip High School
- Special Recognition Award: Scott J. Beigel (Half Hollow Hills West alumnus) and Aaron Feis (West Islip native) were two coaches who gave their lives protecting students during the school shooting at Marjory Douglas Stoneman High School in Parkland, Florida in February 2018.
- Special Recognition Award: The Ward Melville boys lacrosse team, a perennial powerhouse in high school lacrosse, is one of Long Island’s most accomplished programs ever
- Historic Recognition Award: The New York Cuban Giants, the world’s first all-black professional baseball team, was founded in Babylon in 1885
Top: East Islip High School wrestling coach Guy Leggio’s acceptance speech for being inducted into the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame.
