Elliott: R. I. P. Frank Paul Scicluna
Legendary sandlot coach Rob Scicluna, his son Nolan and daughter Sarah. Scicluna lost his father, Frank Paul Scicluna
October 22, 2024
By Bob Elliott
Canadian Baseball Network
Coaching for many decades I have asisted all kinds of coaches.
Coaches with tempers, coaches who gave preferential treatment to their son and make the game all about themselves.
It is a rare breed of man you find who gives his time ... has knowledge ... has the proper amount of street smarts ... and just enough fire to nudge those who need nudging and leave alone those who require a gentle push.
One such man is Rob Scicluna.
He was a school principal during the school year and a man of principle 365 days a year.
I had the pleasure of helping him and head coach Mike Irving with the Mississauga Southwest Twins and the Mississauga Majors for three seasons.
Scicluna was a former Erindale Cardinal as a player and a coach after playing at Point Park University in Pittsburgh. Which meant he learned the game under icon Greg Cranker and it followed, he spent almost as much time working on the diamond at Erindale Little League or Martin Dobkin Park in Mississauga as he did when he was a student in class.
Since he attended school in Pittsburgh that made him a Pittsburgh Steelers man and since he worked for the Pittsburgh Pirates part-time, that made him a Bucs fan. As loyal as the day is long.
One Sunday afternoon we took my grandson to a game in Barrie. Irving had Xavier sit on the bucket alongside him to learn pitching sequencing -- which Xavier implemented at the 2023 13U nationals in Woodstock, pitching for New Brunswick in a win over Nova Scotia.
Coach Rob made a big impression … just as he did playing at Erindale where his No. 4 hangs on the outfield fence at Greg Cranker Field at 9th Line in Mississauga.
“Look you may be here with your grandma and your grandfather, but once you walk onto the field with our team ... Grandma Rob is the boss,” Robbie said with a smile. “You follow my orders as a bat boy and Mike when we are pitching OK?”
Coach Rob coached my son Bob three years with Erindale in junior and senior, while I coached his son Nolan three seasons. But it was far from an even exchange, for coach Rob gave more of his time ... had more knowledge ... had the proper amount of street smarts ... and enough fire to nudge those who need nudging and leave alone those who require a gentle push … than I did.
Coach Rob, or Alonzo as he was nicknamed, lost his father Frank Paul Scicluna 84.
Sympathies are extended to Rob’s wife Maree, grandson Nolan and daughter, Sarah, Rob’s brother Steve Scicluna and his wife, Patrice, as well as the rest of the family.