Connecticut Soccer Hall of Fame to Induct Former Naugatuck Coach

HAMDEN — Jack Testani has played and coached soccer all his life, but later this month when he is inducted into the Connecticut Soccer Hall of Fame, the honor will primarily recognize his role as a league administrator.

Testani, 59, has been president of the Connecticut Open Soccer League since 2002, and two years ago he was named the vice president of the Connecticut State Soccer Association, the governing body for the sport in the Nutmeg State.

The induction ceremony is scheduled for Jan. 28 at the Farmington Marriott.

"Soccer has been my life, you know what I mean," he said. He has played since his childhood in Torrice, Italy, and he has coached on every level of league play since the 1970s. He even started a Hamden-based, women’s open team with one of his daughters for three years, although he took last year off from that because he just didn’t have the time.

His three daughters have all been players, of course. Nonetheless, he noted that he never could have devoted so much time to soccer if he didn’t have the support of his wife and family.

Testani came to the United States when he was 18, following two older brothers who were already settled in Bridgeport. He went to work in an importing store, where he learned the meat business. That started a career that led to a job as a meat manager for Pathmark, and now for .

He also played soccer for the Bridgeport Italians team in the Connecticut Adult League from 1971 to 1979, then moved to Naugatuck and played for the Waterbury Zimmitti team from 1979 to 1984.

After that, Testani started coaching soccer teams on various levels, from youth to adult leagues, and he was the Naugatuck High School girls team coach from 1990 to 1994.

From 1998 to 2000 he coached the Bridgeport Italians, leading them to a league championship and to the Elite 8 in the U.S. Open Cup tournament in 1999. In 2010 he was the manager and assistant coach of the Connecticut State Select Team, winning their tournament that year. "That was the highlight," he said.

But he said his induction in the Hall of Fame will be for another contribution. He has served as the 40-team Connecticut Adult Open League registrar since 1986. "My accomplishment is as an administrator more than anything else," he said.

"A lot of people tell me, ‘I can’t believe you’re still doing it,’" he said. "I tell them, if I wasn’t, you wouldn’t be playing organized soccer in Connecticut."

The above article was previously printed on Hamden Patch.