Day of Remembrance and Celebration Set for May 17 to Honor Shrine and Brother Rice Coach Al Fracassa
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Patrick Callaghan
248-875-6009
When Brother Rice High School football coach Al Fracassa died on September 7, 2025 at the age of 92, the tributes and remembrances from his former players expressed a desire to “make coach proud.”
The Al Fracassa Legacy Foundation was established to carry forward Coach’s lifelong commitment to faith, discipline, character, and service. Through scholarships, mentorship, and leadership development, the Foundation supports high school student-athletes and the coaches who guide them. Their mission is to help form young leaders whose impact extends far beyond the field and into their families, schools, and communities.
On Sunday, May 17, the Foundation will host a special day of remembrance and community with a memorial liturgy, team dinner, and celebration. The liturgy will be held at 11:30 a.m. at The National Shrine of the Little Flower, 2100 12 Mile Road, Royal Oak.
A brief prayer service will follow at the statue of St. Sebastian, patron saint of athletes, whom Coach Fracassa invoked at the conclusion of every team prayer.
At 1 p.m., a team dinner and celebration will take place at the Dakota Inn Rathskeller,
17324 John R, Detroit. The afternoon includes an Italian dinner, recognition of Coach’s former NFL and collegiate players, and a silent auction featuring meaningful Coach Fracassa memorabilia and experiences. Former Brother Rice team captain Paddy Lynch owns the Dakota Inn. The meal will be catered by Shields Pizza, owned by former player Pete Andoni. Tickets are $40 in advance and $50 at the door – Buy Tickets Here.
The purpose of The Al Fracassa Legacy Foundation is to support high school student-athletes and the coaches who guide them, recognizing that both play a critical role in building strong communities. By providing resources, scholarships, mentorship opportunities, and by digitizing and archiving memorabilia from Coach Fracassa’s over 50 years of coaching, the Foundation aims to both preserve and promote his legacy and the values he stood for.
To learn more about the Foundation, contact Patrick Callaghan; 248-875-6009; drpat@bignet.net
Coach’s Enduring Legacy
Some say Coach Fracassa belonged to Brother Rice. But perhaps the truth is this: Brother Rice belonged to him. Every player who raised a helmet in his locker room, every student who sought his compassion, every colleague who walked the halls beside him, every alumnus who still lives by his mottos decades later — every life he touched is part of the story of Al Fracassa.
We mourn his passing, but more than that, we celebrate a life lived with purpose, humility, and heart. He asked his players to “Do it better than it’s ever been done before.” And he did. In every season of his remarkable life – he truly did.
