Tuffcookie
Enjoys an early hour of peace. Is a smart cookie.
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2000
- Messages
- 7,146
I just got back from lunch. I work for our city's PD. Our chief was on vacation this week in Tennessee, visiting his wife's family. I went to HS with both the chief & his wife, so we go way back. He has died. Heart trouble ran in the family so I'm assuming that is what it was. Only 57. He was scheduled to retire next March.
Not only was he a man of sterling character he was much loved by his family and everyone that knew him. He was also an assistant HS wrestling coach and was very well known in the wrestling community. His wife babysat youngest DS when he was little. He will be sorely missed!
Keep his family, & his work family in your prayers!
This article was on a local web site this evening:
Michael C. Kallai Sr. led police and wrestlers
Published: Wednesday, June 30, 2010, 3:36 PM Updated: Wednesday, June 30, 2010, 4:29 PM
Grant Segall
Follow Share this story
Story tools
Wadsworth -- Mike Kallai led Barberton police and motivated Wadsworth wrestlers.
On Wednesday, just four months after Wadsworth won a state championship, the chief and assistant coach died after a workout while visiting in-laws in Tennessee. He was 57.
0
0
0
Share "He was a father figure to all of us," said John Gramuglia, Wadsworth's head coach, who worked with Kallai for 19 years,. "He was a very quiet corner person. He was kind of a Phil Jackson type, very intelligent, very dry humor, could really connect with the kids."
"He loved his job," said Barberton Mayor Bob Genet. "He loved working with people. He loved working with children. He's always been pushing for modern technology. For his officers to be the best, they had to have the best equipment."
Kallai (pronounced KAY-lie) was one of 10 siblings, several of them scholastic wrestlers. Born in Barberton, he wrestled at Coventry High School and went to Bowling Green State University.
He worked for a family construction business and joined the Barberton police 33 years ago. He rose to narcotics detective and made chief 13 years ago. He oversaw what became 54 full-time workers and a budget of about $5 million per year. Among other changes, he computerized the cruisers.
He and his wife, the former Jennifer McCart, had four children. At Wadsworth High, he coached the three boys, Mike Jr., Joe and Zak. Daughter Vanessa kept score. Zak became an All-American at Case Western Reserve University.
Last year, Coach Kallai won a Sportsmanship, Ethics and Integrity Award from the Ohio High School Wrestling Coaches Association. This year, he helped Wadsworth become the first public school in 33 years to win the state's top division.
"He lived that dream we had set," said Coach Gramuglia.
The National Wrestling Coaches Association named the Wadsworth pair coach and assistant coach of the year for Ohio and for one of the nation's eight regions. Kallai was also elected president of the Greater Cleveland Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association.
He once motivated his wrestlers by snapping and posting photos of a scoreboard documenting the team's fall during a tournament from first place to fourth.
"Boys," he told them, "I don't ever want to take another picture like this again."
Michael C. Kallai Sr.
1953-2010
TC
Not only was he a man of sterling character he was much loved by his family and everyone that knew him. He was also an assistant HS wrestling coach and was very well known in the wrestling community. His wife babysat youngest DS when he was little. He will be sorely missed!
Keep his family, & his work family in your prayers!
This article was on a local web site this evening:
Michael C. Kallai Sr. led police and wrestlers
Published: Wednesday, June 30, 2010, 3:36 PM Updated: Wednesday, June 30, 2010, 4:29 PM
Grant Segall
Follow Share this story
Story tools
Wadsworth -- Mike Kallai led Barberton police and motivated Wadsworth wrestlers.
On Wednesday, just four months after Wadsworth won a state championship, the chief and assistant coach died after a workout while visiting in-laws in Tennessee. He was 57.
0
0
0
Share "He was a father figure to all of us," said John Gramuglia, Wadsworth's head coach, who worked with Kallai for 19 years,. "He was a very quiet corner person. He was kind of a Phil Jackson type, very intelligent, very dry humor, could really connect with the kids."
"He loved his job," said Barberton Mayor Bob Genet. "He loved working with people. He loved working with children. He's always been pushing for modern technology. For his officers to be the best, they had to have the best equipment."
Kallai (pronounced KAY-lie) was one of 10 siblings, several of them scholastic wrestlers. Born in Barberton, he wrestled at Coventry High School and went to Bowling Green State University.
He worked for a family construction business and joined the Barberton police 33 years ago. He rose to narcotics detective and made chief 13 years ago. He oversaw what became 54 full-time workers and a budget of about $5 million per year. Among other changes, he computerized the cruisers.
He and his wife, the former Jennifer McCart, had four children. At Wadsworth High, he coached the three boys, Mike Jr., Joe and Zak. Daughter Vanessa kept score. Zak became an All-American at Case Western Reserve University.
Last year, Coach Kallai won a Sportsmanship, Ethics and Integrity Award from the Ohio High School Wrestling Coaches Association. This year, he helped Wadsworth become the first public school in 33 years to win the state's top division.
"He lived that dream we had set," said Coach Gramuglia.
The National Wrestling Coaches Association named the Wadsworth pair coach and assistant coach of the year for Ohio and for one of the nation's eight regions. Kallai was also elected president of the Greater Cleveland Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association.
He once motivated his wrestlers by snapping and posting photos of a scoreboard documenting the team's fall during a tournament from first place to fourth.
"Boys," he told them, "I don't ever want to take another picture like this again."
Michael C. Kallai Sr.
1953-2010
TC
