By Kim J. Harmon

Perhaps one of the best things that can be said about someone is, he left an impression.

Anthony Isabella left an impression, alright, on the hearts and minds of dozens of youth lacrosse players in Newtown. An assistant coach for several years and a head coach, he passed away last month at the age of 42.

“The beautiful thing about Tony was that he really cared about the girls LOVING lacrosse,” said Newtown Lacrosse Association president Woody Thompson. “Whenever I saw him coach, whenever he’d come to meetings, his passion and energy for the game was just palpable. He saw the pleasure the game gave his daughters, he knew it could be a beautiful thing to watch when played well, and he always managed to get all his girls – however many he coached over the years, whatever their ages were at the time – to focus on doing just ONE THING to the best of their ability. And then he’d step back and say ‘See? That was pretty cool, huh?’ ”

Tony left behind a wife, Debbie Santana, and four children – Anthony Jr., Lisa, Jackie and Michelle. Outside lacrosse, he was an orthopedic physician’s assistant at Bridgeport Hospital and a member of the American Association of Physicians Assistants and the Orthopedic Physicians Assistants Association.

He was also a member of St. Rose Church.

On the field, Tony spent a lot of time with his goaltending daughter, Lisa, and with Jackie working with their specific skills and maintaining their love of the game.

“Kids loved playing for the Isabellas!” said Newtown High School girls’ lacrosse coach Maura Fletcher. “There was always fun to be had. Their focus was on having fun and learning the basics of the game as opposed to jumping in to a highly competitive situation. I don’t believe it was a sport Tony played – his kids just liked it and he made it his passion. He will truly be missed by the lacrosse community.”

His passion for the game not only kept current players energized, but it was like drawing moths to a flame.

“He was a lacrosse coach, sure – but what he really did here in Newtown was to help evangelize the game to a point where the number of girls playing it – and LOVING it – has gone through the roof,” said Thompson. “A coach is inherently about x’s and o’s, but Tony was much more than that. He was a missionary in a town that at one time barely knew what the game of lacrosse was and we wouldn’t be where we are today – sitting here as one of the leading girls programs in the state at both the youth and high school level – without Tony having gone on that mission for us.

And it was because of that impact, that impression Tony left, that the annual 7th and 8th grade Rooster Rumble Tournament at Treadwell Park will from now on be known as the Anthony Isabella Memorial Rumble.

“It is an honor well deserved for all of his time and efforts for the girls program,” said coach Fletcher.