Walter A. Czekaj

CZEKAJ Walter A. Czekaj, age 72, of Stratford, passed away on Monday, October 13, 2008 in Connecticut Hospice Branford. Walt was born in New York City to the late Joseph and Helen Gianotti Czekaj and has been a life long area resident. Football had played a big roll in the life of Walter A. Czekaj. Fortunately for Stratford High School, Walt's athletic career, his coaching prowess, and his devotion and caring as a health and physical education instructor, has made and even bigger impact on the lives of both students and athletes at his alma mater. Walt played four years of football, he competed in track and field for two years and he played basketball one year during his scholastic career from 1950-54. Selected as the recipient of the Outstanding Back Award in 1954, and the Thanksgiving Game MVP against Milford High, Czekaj then spent four years in the U.S. Army and captained the Army Airborne football team to a 9-1 record in 1955. He later played for the University of Bridgeport 1960-62, where he earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees in physical education. Prior to returning to Stratford High as assistant football coach in 1982, Walt initiated the football program at Norwalk Community College and he also coached football, wrestling, track and soccer at Brien McMahon, Norwalk and Trumbull high schools. The highly honored Czekaj turned a floundering SHS football program into one of the most respected in Connecticut during his 15year head-coaching career. Under Czekaj's astute leadership and skilled coaching, the Red Devils compiled a 117-44 record for a 73 percent winning record. After a 3-7rookie season, Czekaj guided SHS to fourteen straight winning seasons and five league titles. Stratford won Coastal Football Conference titles in 1986, 1988, 1989, 1992,1995. It also finished runner-up in the South West Conference in 1997 and 1998. Czekaj guided five teams to CIAC football playoffs with the 1986 (11-1), 1989(9-2) and 1992(10-1) clubs finishing runner-up. The school's crowning moment came in 1988 when the Red Devils went 10-1 and won the CIAC Class SS championship as well as the overall No. 1 ranking in both state polls. The founder of the Stratford wrestling program in 1985, Czekaj's teams carved out a 109-31-1 record in his 11-year tenure. During that span, Stratford won five consecutive CCIAC titles (1986-90) and added another in 1995. The Red Devils captured the CIAC Class M state championship in 1990 after a runner-up finish in 1989. Recognized by the Connecticut Coaches Association as its "Football Coach of the Year" in 1997 and in that year also received the National Football Foundations Lifetime Achievement Award. Walt is survived by his beloved wife, Nancy Schaab Czekaj; his devoted children, Michael Czekaj of NYC, Pamela Scioletti and her husband, Maurice of Stratford, Kristen Heffernan and her husband, Daniel of Orange, and Jonathan Czekaj of New York City; three cherished grandsons, Aedan, Timothy and Maurice; and several nieces and nephews. Friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial on Friday October 17th at 9 a.m. in St. James Church Stratford. Interment will be private. Friends may call on Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Adzima Funeral Home 50 Paradise Green Place Stratford. In lieu of flowers, those desiring may make donations to Connecticut Hospice 100 Double Beach Road Branford, CT. 06405 or to a future award that will honor Coach Czekaj at SHS c/o Charles Senft 45 North Parade St Stratford, CT. 06615 For more information or to make an online condolence please visit www. adzimafuneralhome.com.