Pennsauken to name football field after McAneney

The football field at Pennsauken next season will be officially named after former coach Vince McAneney, athletic director Billy Wright announced last night.

"Vince McAneney is synonymous with Pennsauken football," Wright said. "When you think about Pennsauken football, you think about Vince McAneney."

And with good reason. McAneney coached at Pennsauken for 25 years before retiring in 1994. All told, he won 244 games - 192 at Pennsauken and 52 in a combined 11 years at Philadelphia's West Catholic (eight years) and Cherry Hill West (three years).

Eight of his former Pennsauken players - Billy and David Griggs, John and Keith Taylor, Todd McNair, Darrell Wilson, Greg Mark and Dwight Hicks - reached the pros.

McAneney, 78, said he was honored by Pennsauken's gesture to name the field after him.

"It makes me think of all the kids I coached at Pennsauken, West Catholic and Cherry Hill West," he said. "So many of them went to college and, financially, a lot of them wouldn't have been able to go it if it wasn't for football."

McAneney said he shared the naming honor with five of his assistants who coached with him for 25 years.

"They could have gone almost anywhere and been a head coach, but they stayed on our staff because we had such a great camaraderie," he said. "Having them on the staff made my job so much easier."

McAneney, who has four sons and 13 grandchildren, will be honored at a ceremony early next year, tentatively set before a Sept. 20 home game.

"When he rides down Route 73, he's going to be so proud to see his name," said Holly McAneney, Vince's wife.