He Will Be Missed!

Leo Cancellare, 41, the longtime coach of the El Paso Aqua Posse swim team and principal at Cathedral High School, passed away Friday April 2, 1999 after nearly a year-long battle with cancer.

Leo Appreciation Dinner

The Cancellare family would like to thank the El Paso community along with the swimming community for their participation in the Leo Cancellare Appreciation Dinner. There were over 1,000 attendees to the dinner who made the two-day auction a great success. Without your help the phenomenal amount of $100,000 plus could not have been raised. More is coming in daily. Thanks to all who not only made this event successful, but a memorable one as well. Old friends gathered, swimmers revisited glory days, and everyone had a tale to tell about how Leo has made this sport so special to so many.

Pledges are still being accepted for an educational foundation for the Cancellare kids. Please send donations to:

Leo Cancellare Educational Foundation

C/O Chase Bank Texas

P.O. Drawer 140

Leo's Accomplishments

Graduate of Irvin High School & UTEP
Married to Vera (Assistant Principal, Bassett Middle School) Children: Sarah (18), Vito (16), Emily (14)
Principal & President of Cathedral High School
Inducted into Fl Paso Sports Hall of Fame - 1994
Golden Nugget Award (UTEP Outstanding Alumnus 1998)
Head Coach of Fl Pose Aqua Posse from 1979-1999 during which time EPAP helds as much as 85% of all Border Swimming Records
Over 80 EPAP swimmers have been sent to college on swimming scholarships (Schools such as Texas, TCU, SMU, Houston, USC, Harvard, Williams, Stanford, Notre Dame, Duke, West Point, Annapolis, UNM, NMSU, etc.)
Produced 79 Swimming High School All-Americans more then all other sports combined
Trained 5 Olympic Team Members and several Olympic Trials qualifiers
RELATED TOPICS

Leo Honored at TAGS

From Tags at Midland: On Friday, the Leo Banner (says Texas at top, Swimming at bottom, and has Leo in the middle of a big red heart) was placed on the end of the diving board by Steve Emmanual, Texas Swim Magazine, prior to a moving address to 1000 folks about how much Leo has meant to Texas Swimming......... All applauded...

Westside Pool Renamed After Leo

Here's what others have had to say:

You can't help but love the guy! The first time I heard him he was instructing a kid about an upcoming swim. Just listening to him got me so charged up I was ready to run through a wall for him! ...He has a love for people and for life that radiates around him. Whether it's a parent, coach or teacher every kid needs a person like Leo Cancellare in their life. Someone who is always there through the good times and the bad, and will unconditionally stand by their side. God bless you Leo! You're what life's all about!" Texas Swim Magazine, July 1997

"Leo Cancellare runs at life with the speed of Michael Johnson and embraces it with the force of King Kong. The man is a beacon in El Paso, one who sends off an energy and strength that supplies all who know him. As coach of the El Paso Aqua Posse Swim Team for over 20 years and Principal of Cathedral High School the last few,the man has had a chance to touch more lives - both athletically and academically - than most could only dream of reaching."
Bill Knight, El Paso Times, 1998

This E-Mail was sent to the team.

BLESSINGS ON YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING LEO A PLACE TO GROW AND BE LOVED IN HIS FINAL DAYS....

I NEVER KNEW THIS MAN FOR WHOM YOU DID A VERY MOVING TRIBUTE PAGE ON YOUR WEB SITE, BUT ONE CAN SURLY SEE THAT HE WAS VERY WELL LOVED AND I WISH I HAD KNOWN HIM.

FORTY ONE YEARS OLD IS VERY YOUNG TO PASS AWAY, BUT I CAN ONLY THINK OF ONE PLACE THAT HE COULD BE AND THAT IS WITH THE FATHER AS HE MUST HAVE NEEDED THE KIND OF SPIRITUAL HEART THAT LEO HAD. WHY ELSE WOULD HE TAKE HIM SO SOON.

I REALIZE NOW THAT IT IS TWO YEARS SINCE THAT SAD DAY BUT THE MISSING MUST STILL BE EVIDENT.

THANK YOU FOR LEAVING THIS TRIBUTE UP ON YOUR PAGE AS IT WAS GOOD TO READ IT AND HIS LIFE AS IS NOTED IS VERY INSPIRING, STILL.

BLESS YOU ALL THAT DID KNOW HIM AS THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER, LEO....

I AM, ANDY WALDORF OR JUST,
AJ.~~~~ ajsmark@earthlink.net
PS. I AM A MAN OF SIXTY YEARS AND WAS CRYING SO HARD I COULDN'T SEE WHILE READING ABOUT THIS MAN. PRAISE THE LORD THAT YOU HAD HIM AS LONG AS YOU DID. HE PACKED A LOT OF LIFE INTO A VERY SHORT TIME, BLESSING ON YOU ALL...