Anthony James Trentini was born on the 14th of November, 1929 in Everett, Mass. to Pasquale and Bernice Trentini. Anthony (Tony) graduated from Everett High School in 1947 where he lettered in football and baseball. Tony enlisted in the Army Paratroopers and was stationed at Ft. Bragg with the 82nd Airborne. While at Ft. Bragg Tony played for and captained the forts football team, being named to the All-Army Football team in 1951. In 1952 Tony entered Wake Forest College in Wake Forest, NC on a football scholarship where he lettered 4 years, starting 3. Tony turned down an offer to play pro football to become the first football coach at Wake Forest High School. Tony remained at Wake Forest HS until 1963. While coaching at Wake Forest HS the summers were spent acting as the Recreation Director for the Town of Wake Forest. Tony went on to become a coach for the Philadelphia Bulldogs of the Continental Football League and the coach at Madison High School in Madison, New Jersey. While at Madison HS his team went undefeated, was the highest scoring team in the state and was declared the number one high school football division III program in the nation. Tony was preparing for his 7th season at Rutgers University as Offensive Line Coach when he passed away suddenly in 1976 at the age of 46.
With Tony’s passing his friends, ex-players and colleagues felt compelled to recognize Tony with a foundation and scholarship. The Trentini Foundation provides scholarships to students that best exemplify what Tony Trentini taught and lived as a coach, teacher and mentor. These attributes include: the pursuit of excellence in scholarship, athletics and leadership, participation in extracurricular activities, a strong sense of personal ethics, values and citizenship.
