Posted on Wed, Nov. 02, 2005






James Bongard, coached kid sports

By YVONNE LATTY


JAMES J. "Jimmy" Bongard loved to coach kids' sports.

He started when his own kids were playing, but it wasn't just for them he coached. He enjoyed helping all youngsters learn the games.

Even when his kids grew out of the teams, Bongard stayed on. He treated all the kids like they were his own.

It made him a sports hero in his community. He was a man kids looked up to and adults respected.

For 10 years, Bongard worked with the young players in the Drexel Hill Raiders Youth Organization, coaching different sports.

Most recently he coached the Raiders Pee Wee Football team, and his boys won the Delco Northern Division Championship and were on their way to the playoffs.

But on Thursday, Bongard was on his way to work on Interstate 95 when his car hit the guard rail and he was ejected. He suffered severe head trauma and died on Friday. He was 41 and lived in Drexel Hill.

His organs were donated and helped save the lives of six people.

"He touched many kids' lives, including my own," said Tommy McCoy, a coach in the Raiders organization. "That was what he was all about. No one will ever be able to replace him.

"The Drexel Hill organizations have lost a father, a great guy, a friend, a super coach, and a mentor who will never be replaced."

Born in Roxborough, Bongard attended Roxborough High School. He worked for National Refrigeration for more than 20 years and had worked his way up through the company to plant supervisor.

Bongard coached cheerleading, football, basketball, baseball, wrestling and golf. He was also very involved in the Raiders wrestling program and was a head coach in the basketball program.

The organization is devoted to the concept that every child should have the opportunity to participate in sports and the kids should be encouraged by parent and coaches.

Bongard also attended many Drexel Hill Raider board meetings and was considered a great asset to the board.

"I always saw him as regular guy, but seeing the outpouring of support from the community is astonishing," said his brother-in-law Steve Angelini.

"It has helped my sister a lot. I went with my sister to the local Wawa and the manager came out and said, 'Anything in the store you need, lunch meat, trays, whatever, no charge.'

"Then she went into a jewelry store to get some of his jewelry fixed. The cost was $100 and the jeweler waived the charge. He touched so many lives."

Bongard was heavily involved in the activities of his four children. He taught one son to play golf, and the other, Nicky, who is 13, to wrestle. He would take his son to statewide meets, and Nicky went on to win state championships.

"It's heartbreaking," Angelini said. "His son Nicky said to me, 'My father won't be here to see me grow up and we had so many plans.' "

Bongard also is survived by his wife of 20 years, Carla A.; a daughter, Dana; two other sons, Anthony and James; his mother, Joan Bongard; his father, Robert Bongard; his stepmother, Elizabeth Bongard; two brothers, Robert and Christopher, and a sister, Joni Radick