Forgive us Wolcott residents if we seem upset or have had a lack of focus today.
Wolcott has lost a terrific human being.
Dave Pelletier, a long-time youth sports volunteer and all-around good guy, has passed away. Want a measure of the man’s impact on the community? Wolcott High School let out early today because of Pelletier’s passing. The post from Wolcott Public Schools on its Facebook page summed it up:
“We are doing this early dismissal today in the face of incredibly sad news for Wolcott High School and the whole Wolcott community. This morning, we learned of the passing of Mr. David Pelletier, a truly beloved figure in the Wolcott community. We have grief counselors in place at WHS now and will be extending these services throughout the district tomorrow.”
Coach Dave meant a lot to a lot of people in the small town of Wolcott. All over social media, there were kind words shared by former players, parents and friends. Current Wolcott High baseball players talked about learning a love of the game from Dave or credited him with teaching them everything they know about the game.
Current and former students wrote about what a terrific human being Dave was, and what a kind heart he had. They also wrote about how much he made them laugh. To so many, he was simply known as “Coach Dave.”
Pelletier coached youth baseball for nearly four decades, including 25 years with Wolcott’s Roberto Clemente level team. He served as the official scorer at Wolcott High basketball home games, and he was always a pleasure to interact with.
I didn’t know Dave as well as others, given I moved to Wolcott after getting married in 2014. In my interactions with Dave, be it at a Wolcott game or on the phone when he called in a game score to the Waterbury Republican-American, he was always a gentleman. Before a game, Dave was always talking to someone, and his smile was right there for everyone to see.
I will miss seeing Dave and talking to him at the scorer’s table this winter in Wolcott. It’s just not the same with him gone. Rest in peace Dave Pelletier, and thank you for being such a wonderful human being to so many. I didn’t get to know you well, but I will never forget you.
