Friendship forged on and off the court

Middle school coaches Mike Topazio and Tom Fullen stay friends no matter the score

BY MANUEL C. “MANNY” CORREIRA
Posted 2/2/17

On the basketball court, Mike Topazio and Tom Fullen are all business when coaching the Barrington Middle School and Kickemuit Middle School girls’ teams, respectively. But off the hardwood, …

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Friendship forged on and off the court

Middle school coaches Mike Topazio and Tom Fullen stay friends no matter the score

Posted

On the basketball court, Mike Topazio and Tom Fullen are all business when coaching the Barrington Middle School and Kickemuit Middle School girls’ teams, respectively. But off the hardwood, these two longtime friends put their coaching styles and philosophies aside for some good old homespun humor.

“We’ve been great friends ever since Tom arrived here from Pittsburgh 13 years ago,” said Coach Topazio, who like Coach Fullen, resides in Bristol. “We kid each other all the time and place a friendly bet on the game when we play each other. The winner always gets taken out to breakfast.”

Recently, the two squared off against each other at Kickemuit Middle School in Warren, and as has been the case in recent meetings, the Barrington Lady Eagles took care of business, beating their Bristol County neighbors, 34-27. It was Barrington’s 30th consecutive regular season victory spanning the last two years.

“We had an 18-point lead,” said Coach Topazio, “so, I cleared my bench early, but quickly, our lead got down to 7 points with 44 seconds to go, so I needed to put all my starters back. So much for me being Mr. Nice Guy and subbing early.”

“It’s always nice beating Tom,” Coach Topazio added with a big smile. “Of course, he’s disappointed, but in the end, we’re still friends. That’s all that counts. I spend almost as much time talking basketball and other things with him as I do at practice and games with my girls in Barrington. It’s been a wonderful friendship that I wouldn’t trade for anything. No matter what happens on the court, Coach Tommy and I will still meet for breakfast every Sunday morning as we have for the past 10 years.”

Tom Fullen, a three-sport athlete at Swissvale High School in Pittsburgh (which later became Woodland Hills High School, where New England Patriots star Rob Gronkowski attended as a senior) and a huge Steelers and Pirates fan, loves to rub it in when he and Mike get together. Coach Topazio loves his Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, and Boston Red Sox, so there’s plenty of fuel for the fire when these two gents meet over a cup of coffee.

“Early on, I coached basketball with Mike when he was the head coach of the boys’ varsity team at Mt. Hope High School,” says Tom. “The last three years we’ve been friends and enemies on the court.”

Coach Fullen is also in charge of the Mt. Hope High Unified basketball team in the spring, and does a great job with those youngsters.

“It’s not winning that’s important,” he insists, “it’s being able to participate and have fun. And, that’s exactly what these kids do. It’s wonderful to be able to be around them and watch how much fun they’re having.”

“Mike and I are pretty much inseparable,” Coach Fullen said. “We have a great relationship. The rivalry we have is great. After the game, we’re friends, but during the game, we’re not.”

Added Coach Topazio: “I know Tom hates losing, but it hasn’t dampened our friendship. After all, it’s just a game. We tease each other all the time. We’re always smiling and laughing. That‘s the bottom line.”

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A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.