Vito Montelli is New England and Connecticut's all-time winningest basketball coach, going 878-329. He coached in 1,207 game and is the only Connecticut and New England coach to surpass 850 wins. His teams won 11 Connecticut state championships, were runner-up six times and lost in the semifinals six times.

There have been just five losing seasons in Montelli's 50-year coaching career at St. Joseph. A total of 33 players were named to the All-State team and 27 were named McDonald's All-Americans.

But those are just numbers. What makes this biography of the 88-year-old legend is the life he led, the son of Italian immigrants working hard to find their way in a new land. We talk about his life growing up, how much sports meant to him and how he got involved in coaching at a young age.

He's a great family man with a wonderful wife and successful children. He's also, much to the delight of every reader, a wonderful story-teller.