THE PRO YEARS
Don’s time in the pros was brief…by choice. After graduating from Syracuse, he was invited to try out for the Saskatchewan Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League. He drove, by himself, all the way from Manchester to Saskatchewan because he wasn’t sure he’d make the team and didn’t want to bring his family with him and put them through that difficult period.
“Tryouts were tough and everyday you were there, different players found out that they didn’t make it. When a member of the coaching staff came to a player and said ’Coach wants to see you in his office…and bring your playbook.’, you knew exactly what that meant. I went through that stress every day of tryouts and that’s why I didn’t want my family there. It’s not a good time.
When tryouts were finally over and I was still standing, I felt really good about it. They offered me a contract and I accepted, signing to play with the Rough Riders for one year. We did OK and even made the playoffs. It was definitely an awakening experience. No pat on the back (your paycheck). You either did or you didn’t.”
He was sent a contract for a second year, but Don had to turn it down. While at Syracuse, he was also in ROTC, had gotten married, lived in an apartment off-campus with his wife, and had two children. He had opted for the military because it provided the opportunity for more money and, as a result, he still had a two-year commitment that needed to be fulfilled…and now it was time.
THE MILITARY YEARS
Not knowing exactly the area in which to make that commitment, Don, a 1st Lieutenant, did some quick “research”, accompanied by a little math, and figured out that if he joined the airborne, he’d make $110 a month more by doing so. ‘Nuff said. He became a paratrooper, then stayed on to become a training officer and completed his time serving as Executive Officer in Charge of Tower Committee. That’s the device (tower) used to train recruits the proper procedure for jumping.
While at Ft. Benning, the largest training camp in the world, he was recruited to play football for the base team, the Fort Benning Doughboys. “There were great football players from all over the country playing for different ‘Fort’ teams. We won the Armed Forces Championship beating Fort Eustice in Orlando, Florida. We played in a stadium that held 40,000 people and the place was packed. When I left with the rank of Captain, I was in the best shape of my life having played with great players both on and against great teams.”
THE COACHING YEARS
After completing my service with the Army, and knowing his playing days as a professional were now behind him, he turned to what he had always wanted to do…teach and coach.
MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER SOCIAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT
In ‘67, he joined the Social Studies Department at Manchester Memorial and, realizing that a teacher’s salary was low, he, in a round-about way, also joined its coaching staff as head of the varsity baseball team.
The baseball head coaching job at his Alma mater had opened up and he applied for the position. After being interviewed, he was “selected” as its next mentor needing only to wait for final approval from the school board. Believing the job was his, he was told to meet with the team to get them started, which he did only to be surprised at the turn of events that would follow. On the evening that the school board was to give its final approval, another name was found to have been submitted and that person won the job over Don. Shortly thereafter, the Memorial baseball job opened up and, without hesitation or reservation, the job was his. During his time at the South End school, he also served as JV hoop coach for basketball coaching legend Pete Poirier.
Following that, he became an assistant football coach at Methuen (Massachusetts) High for two years. He was then appointed head football coach, taking over for well-known coach and political veteran lawmaker, Lou D’Allesandro, at Bishop Bradley High in Manchester where City and BBHS Hall-of-Famer Dick Powers would serve as his assistant. In his second and final year at the Bridge Street school, he would coach a stable of extremely talented ballplayers, among them a young man who would go on to be a football coaching legend himself…Jack Gati, now the head man at Salem High.
After a two-year stint there, the head football position opened at a brand new high school in upstate New York and was enticing enough to get Don to apply. Not surprisingly, he won the job, but after a couple years there, his New Hampshire roots got the best of him. As he put it “We won the state title in my second year there, but I got homesick. A teaching/coaching job opened up at Concord High, I applied, got them, and we moved back to New Hampshire.”
He continued “In 1972, I opened Don’s Sports Center on South Willow Street in Manchester and became one of the first sporting goods stores to sell skis and ski equipment in the Queen City and took over the ski shop at McIntyre. I’ve been involved in the development of McIntyre since 1980 and have remained here for more than 30 years.”
SOME INTERESTING ANSWERS TO MY QUESTIONS:
WHAT DID YOU MOST ENJOY ABOUT COACHING?
“Interacting with an athlete to make him believe that he could be better than he could possibly believe. As a coach you have to be fair. If an athlete earns a chance to do something, you have to be sure he gets the chance to show it.
My success as a player stemmed from the experiences I had with my coaches. I truly believe that the success of an athlete is largely drawn from the coaches he‘s had as he‘s grown.
Fortunately for me, most of the coaches I had WANTED to coach, and not because they had kids on the team or because it was the ‘social‘ thing to do. They just wanted to coach!”
WHAT DID YOU ENJOY LEAST?
“Losing! Also parental interference. Everyone’s a Monday morning quarterback and some would start making comments, criticizing decisions made by the coaching staff when they (the parents) weren’t there as things happened…didn’t know the specific circumstances that went into those decisions.”
WHAT WAS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE COACHING MOMENT?
“Winning the State Championship with Concord in ‘76. We had some terrific kids who showed that hard work really paid off. It was a pleasure to coach them.”
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON TODAY’S COACHES?
“High school coaches are terrific! They do a great job in all sports. Unless you’re with them, few people know how hard they work to put competitive teams out there. My one complaint would be with some of the volunteer coaches. As nice as it is that they’re willing to offer their time, the most important thing to remember with them is that they shouldn’t get involved, particularly with the younger kids, if they don’t know what they’re doing…that can be dangerous.”
WHAT ATHLETE DO YOU MOST RESPECT TODAY AND WHY?
“Brett Favre…he’s the epitome of what a quarterback has to be.
DON’S ACCOLADES:
QB of 1959 National Football Champion Syracuse University
Selected as National Back-of-the-Week
Selected as MVP of the Syracuse Baseball Team
Selected 1976 NH Class “L” Football Coach-of-the-Year
Inducted into the Queen City Hall of Fame
Inducted into the NH Athletic Hall of Fame
MORE IMPORTANT TO HIM THAN ANY AND ALL OF THOSE “AWARDS”
“The pat on the back by someone who says ‘Congrats. You were one of the best in your time.’”
HOW WOULD HE LIKE TO BE REMEMBERED? (I was really uncomfortable asking this one because I felt like I was contributing to the his possible eulogy, particularly in light of the question posed by his granddaughter!)
“Depends by whom…
By my kids…as a good father.
By my grand kids…as a grandfather who was always there when they needed me.
To all the other people…
As someone who had his time and realized that it was then somebody else’s. You can only live in the moment…your moment.”
A FINAL STORY
Speaking of “moments”, during our five-hour verbal journey back in time, Don, somewhat embarrassed to even tell it to me, related a story about a company deliveryman unloading several packages that had been shipped to McIntyre recently. The gentleman’s father joined him to help out. Upon completing the task, the deliveryman, needing to fill out his work order, asked Don his name so he could fill in that blank. Don, still looking down as he re-positioned the newly arrived packages, stated…Don Sarette. Before the man could jot down the first letter of his name, the man’s father, quickly interjected…”Did you say Don Sarette? Are you the football player from Central?” to each of which Don answered “Yes” and “Yes.”
The man, now stunned, stepped back saying “Oh my God! You’re a legend! I’m glad to be able to finally meet you!”
FROM ME TO DON…
Don, as embarrassed as you may be at my re-telling a story that you probably thought would remain between the two of us, I couldn’t resist putting it out there. Not because anyone needed to hear it to re-affirm your “status” in Manchester’s athletic history, but to remind you that, though you have already lived your moment, your “legend” will remain long after the “Big Coach upstairs” decides to bring in that tough QB from a little school in New Hampshire. The one who could finally answer that question posed by his inquisitive granddaughter years ago…an answer I’d love to hear…
ADDENDUM:
Don,
I know you’ve finally stepped away from a place that you have made into a staple of our city…
McIntyre Ski Area.
For that, we thank you, especially during the ski season.
However, there’s much more you’ve given us.
I think the words of one of Manchester’s best known and longest serving aldermen, Dan O’Neil, stated it most appropriately when you turned the reigns of McIntyre over to Ross Boisvert.
“I’m not sure there’s a better man that has served our state and most importantly, our city as a teacher, coach, and businessman. He’s been a very giving person over a long tim.”
In case people need to be reminded…
He gave his athletic skills to his high school, Manchester Central.
He gave his quarterbacking skill to his college, Syracuse University.
He gave his leadership skills as a lieutenant in service to his country, the U.S.A.
He gave his coaching skills to his high school athletes from Memorial, Bishop Bradley, Concord.
He gave his business skills to the city of Manchester, Don’s Sport Shop,
He gave the combination of all those skills: athletic, leadership. mentoring, business, accompanied by his willingness to make a total commitment while President of McIntyre Ski Area
As Dan said…”a very giving person over a long time.”
Copyright Date…10/29/2010 – 2/19/2026
Ted Menswar Jr. is a life-long resident of the Queen City and a retired member of the English Department of Memorial High School who has been involved in local sports for 70 years as a player, a coach, a mentor and a fan. He can be reached at tedmenswar@outlook.com