‘You just couldn’t question his heart.’ COVID-19 takes life of Manatee Wildcats coach

Even from a hospital bed, coach Nicholas Pagnotta made sure to coordinate game plans and send birthday wishes to a friend.

Pagnotta — or Coach Nick, as many knew him — dedicated his life to youth sports and family members. That included not only his wife and children, but also the countless kids and parents who passed through FYD Pop Warner and the Manatee Wildcats, a football, cheerleading and lacrosse organization.

Many of those same people met to pray for Pagnotta, 46, as he struggled with COVID-19 in late September. A family member said Pagnotta was wary of covid vaccines, and that he seemed to be recovering before his condition took an abrupt turn.

On Thursday, after nearly one month at Manatee Memorial Hospital and Tampa General Hospital, he died from the illness and resulting complications, including a serious case of pneumonia.

It marked the end of his decades-long journey in Manatee County, where Pagnotta went from a successful football player to a successful mentor for countless children in local sports.

“I’ve been around a lot of good, strong leaders that command a room, but no one quite like Nick Pagnotta,” said Bowen Summer, vice president of the Manatee Wildcats. “He was just a natural-born leader. The time and effort he put into this was astounding.”

Pagnotta moved from New York to Bradenton in 1986, the same year that his uncle, Dr. Charles Tomeo, started Manatee Wildcats football. Then 11 years old, Pagnotta donned a No. 34 jersey and played during the Wildcats’ inaugural season.

Years later, wearing the same jersey number, he earned a starting spot on Manatee High School’s football team and helped the Hurricanes to secure a championship in 1992.

There was no doubt that Pagnotta enjoyed athletics and competition, but, even more so, he loved the sense of family that sports provide.

After graduating from the University of Florida with two degrees in 1999, Pagnotta later returned to Bradenton, where he met his wife, Becky, and where he dedicated his life to bringing other families into the special world of youth sports.

Pagnotta joined the coaching staff at Manatee High and celebrated another championship in 2011. He also returned to his roots and coached the Manatee Wildcats’ football and lacrosse teams.

But he was more than a coach, said Summer, who worked alongside Pagnotta and the Manatee Wildcats for more than five years.

“There’s countless stories of him driving around and picking kids up for practice,” Summer said. “Me and him went to funerals together for players’ parents. He worked with kids who were getting in trouble. For many of these people, he was the most stable person they had in their lives. It’s just a lot of emotional energy that goes into that.”

His dedication eventually earned him the title of Wildcats’ president. And as the team’s board representative within the Tampa Bay Pop Warner league, he could have spent his time advocating solely for the Wildcats.

Instead, he fought for every team in the league, ensuring a better experience for thousands of students in Manatee, Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties.

“He wouldn’t come to the board meeting and just argue his point for the Wildcats,” said Dwayne Renaker, the president of FYD Pop Warner. “He would make the point that was, in his opinion, best for the entire conference. It was not just his neighborhood that he was concerned about.”

And he was never shy about getting his point across. Both Renaker and Summer said the coach might come off as abrupt or harsh at times, but it was always to push for a stronger program and better outcome for the kids.

“You just couldn’t question his heart,” Summer said.

Pagnotta’s impact became clear in the days following his death, when hundreds of people attended a public service in Bradenton, and when countless families shared their memories on social media.

Parents said that Pagnotta, or Coach Nick, as they knew him, instilled confidence in their children, and that he made youth sports more affordable and accessible.

Many expressed their gratitude by donating to a GoFundMe campaign for the coach’s sons. The fundraiser brought in more than $15,000 as of Tuesday afternoon, just four days after its launch.

Pagnotta’s wife, Becky, said the overwhelming show of support was proof that her husband made a positive difference in the community, even when he doubted himself.

That was obvious to Pagnotta’s family, including his four sons — Justin, Ryan, Nicholas and Preston, who range from 11 to 28 years old.

And his impact was clear to the many other family members and Manatee County residents who now mourn his death, Becky Pagnotta said.

“So many people were listening and so many people cared,” she said. “He touched so many lives. The impact he had will live with those kids forever.”

This story was originally published October 26, 2021 at 3:49 PM.