K
From Miller
Genesia Perlmutter Kamen '79
Some of my most special moments with Miller include the Ecology Class field trip to the sewage treatment facility followed by a beautiful afternoon at the beach and the day he found me at Princeton after I had been up for three nights finishing my senior thesis. But it is always a pleasure to be with Miller.
Congratulations Miller.
Genesia Perlmutter Kamen '79
Don Kaufman '71
Congrats to "Bugs." I had him for biology in 8th (or maybe 7th) grade. (Properly called the Second Form.) He was a great teacher. I was not much of a science student. I also had Mrs. Bugs, before they were married, teach me geography in Fifth Grade (@1965)! The soccer team was great in my upper form years. Not surprisingly, I played football. Please convey my warm regards and congratulations to one of
the greatest Pingrians.....Don Kaufman '71
Don Keel '64
Miller occupies a special place in my memory and in my life. He believed in me more than I did. When I was a freshman or sophomore at Pingry, I was 6'4" or 6'5" and weighed maybe 160 pounds. I had grown so fast that I was TOTALLY uncoordinated. I mean TOTALLY. In my first Junior Varsity basketball game, I held up the rest of the team going out onto the court because I was fumbling with the laces of my Converse All-Stars. When we got out onto the court and were into the lay-up drills, Miller noticed that the other team was looking at us because apparently in those days I was taller than average for those teams. So he took me aside and said to me: "Take the ball in your two hands close to the basket, jump up and jam it two-handed down into the basket." "OK, Coach," I said. So when it was my turn to receive the ball in the drill, I ran up to the basket, received the pass, took it in my two hands, and jumped up above the rim. Only problem was I came up directly under the basket and went up through the net. Minor detail.....
Later, Miller said to Frank Romano, Varsity coach at the time, "He will be playing for you next year." Coach Romano replied, "Never!"
I did make the Varsity team and played first string in my senior year.
So I thank Miller for his confidence in me.
Miller is a classic. He is an icon at Pingry.
He is truly an incredible guy who has generations of people who admire him and appreciate his ability to deal with anyone at the basic human level.
Don Keel, '64
Kirk Kjeldsen '91
The one thing about Mr. Bugliari that I'll never forget is that he was one of the first Pingry teachers that I was introduced to and that he remembered my father, who was a member of the Class of '64 and had passed away a few years before I entered Pingry. That meant a lot to me, and it was always nice to see him in the hallways or in his office or out on the soccer field. He was always really friendly and positive and genuine. Pingry won't be the same without him.
Kirk Kjeldsen Class of '91
Chris Krantz '91
Having played two years of middle school soccer at Pingry under the watchful eye of Dick Fayen and another year on the Freshman team under Pat Lafontaine, it was clear that my attitude and performance on the field was the same that had governed all aspects of my life as a 14 year old. "Do as little as necessary in order to get by"
While I was fairly athletic I was not particularly motivated and content to horse around with friends during practice and games. l was never much of a contributor to the team, and was essentially resigned to the fact that I must not have had enough talent to ever amount to much of a soccer player. Most of my friends were on the team so I continued with it.
As my sophmore year approached Coach Bugliari made it clear that if I had any intention of continuing on and trying out for the JV team that I was wasting everybody's time unless I could make an attitude adjustment and he had just the fix. Three weeks of Puma sleepover soccer camp. I decided to give it a shot.
Wake up at 6, in bed at 9 and in between fifteen hours of relentless drills, physical conditioning, strategy sessions, and 30 minutes a day of soccer meditation, all governed with the strictest of discipline. 95 degree heat, stand up straight, shirt tucked in, socks pulled up, never sit. By the end of the first day it was clear that most of the other campers were soccer standouts from across the country and I found myself practicing alongside several junior national team players and prospects. I could barely keep up with drills and was outmatched by virtually every other camper, and reminded of it frequently. I was sore and tired and miserable and had no choice but to stick it out.
Back at school in September I tried out for the JV team and and made the cut, playing for Manny Trementona. A funny thing happened in our first game against Peddie. I scored a goal. Second game, goal. Third game, two goals. I finished the season as the leading JV scorer and I could scarcely believe such a remarkable turnaround.
While I never amounted to a star varsity player (probably because I never went back to camp) I learned for the first time that summer that hard work could be as important as gifted talent.
As we all know today, the world is littered with wasted talented. The real key to success in life is hard work and persistence. Thanks for that most important lesson and Congratulations Coach.
Chris Krantz Class of 1991
