Agape Freedom Sports LLC

WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

FROM WEST SIDE GYM RAT TO DISTRICT 2 ICON. LEGENDS AREN’T BORN — THEY’RE BUILT: VINCE BUCCIARELLI’S 700-WIN JOURNEY.

Built through work.

Built through discipline.

Built through failure, fight, and flat-out fire.

Seven hundred wins.

Four decades.

One standard.

Vince Bucciarelli didn’t chase glory — he built it.

Practice by practice.

Player by player.

Season by season.

Consistency. 

They’re built in empty gyms after hours.

In the echo of whistles during offseason workouts.

In the film sessions nobody sees.

In the practices that stretch long past the final horn.

Coach Bucciarelli never cared for headlines.

He chased something deeper: excellence.

And now — more than 40 years, three schools, and hundreds of lives changed — the number is official:

700 career wins.

From the hardwood of Abington Heights,

To the rebuilding years at Mid Valley,

To his current chapter at Dallas,

Vince Bucciarelli has done what few in Pennsylvania basketball history ever have.

And he did it by shaping people — not just players.

Because the truth is:

You don’t coach this long for a paycheck.

You don’t stay in the game for the clout.

You stay because it’s who you are.

Before becoming one of the winningest coaches in District 2 girls basketball history, Bucciarelli was just a gritty kid from West Scranton — a gym rat with a jumper and a dream.

He graduated from West Scranton High School in 1972 and brought that same fire to Penn State Worthington. Just six games into his freshman season, he dropped a career‑high 22 points. He only played two years of college ball, but that wasn’t the end of his basketball story — it was the spark.

He later transferred and earned his degree in elementary mathematics from Penn State’s main campus in State College, graduating in 1976.

His first teaching job was at Bishop O’Hara, where he spent three years teaching freshman and sophomore math, algebra, and geometry — and quietly started building his coaching identity.

And if you rewind even further, the signs were always there.

Back in April 1972, a teenage Bucciarelli stepped onto the court at the Catholic Youth Center for a citywide one‑on‑one tournament — a gym packed with Scranton energy and high‑level talent. The event was hosted by Scranton Prep.

Vince didn’t just show up. He made a statement.

He took down Prep’s Jack Walsh, 20–14, to win the High School Level Championship.

That night, something became clear:

This kid wasn’t just playing the game — he was studying it. Learning it. Mastering it. The rest became future. 

A competitor was crowned.

And over the next five decades…

That competitor became a coach.

That coach became a mentor.

And that mentor became a legend.

But if you really want to understand Vince Bucciarelli’s, you need to know about his greatest supporter:

His mother.

She was his motivator. His encourager. The one who always believed in him. She lived to be 101 years old, passing away just two years ago.

101 years — that’s a legacy in itself.

And just like her son, she hit a milestone most people only dream of, living past 100 years old. 

Maybe that’s just what the Bucciarelli family does.

They hit milestones.

They live with purpose.

And they leave a mark that lasts.

Before the 1982 appointment that made him head coach at Abington Heights, Vince was already laying the bricks.

During his three years at Bishop O’Hara, he coached the girls’ junior varsity team — and helped lead them to the Lackawanna League’s first‑ever JV girls basketball championship. After a brief one‑year break from coaching, he returned and guided the Abington Heights JV girls to a league championship as well.

Even while teaching full‑time, he served as an assistant coach for the Abington Heights girls’ varsity program — always watching, always learning, always preparing.

That hunger to grow led him briefly to Vestal High School in upstate New York, where he served as a teacher and assistant coach. The stay only lasted half a year — but it was one more gym, one more whistle, one more lesson.

Soon after, Bucciarelli joined the Abington Heights School District full‑time — and that’s when the story turned to legend.

In 1982, he inherited the girls basketball program.

In 1984, he led the team above .500 with a 13‑9 record. In December 1990, he reached his first coaching milestone — 100 career wins after a 61‑37 victory over Lackawanna Trail. During that game, his player Becky Bylotas had 9 steals.

In 1991, he began turning Abington Heights into an area powerhouse.  Abington finished with an 18‑9 overall record. He had a few more successful seasons, and in December 1998, Vince hit the 250‑win milestone.

In December 1999, the Scranton Times wrote:

“Vince Bucciarelli has built Abington Heights into one of the state’s top girls’ basketball teams.”

By then, he had helped lead the Lady Comets to four District 2 Championships. That year, he coached one of the nationals top prospects, Amber Jacobs, who would go on to star at Boston College and later play professionally. The 1999 team finished 18‑0 in league play, 29‑2 overall, and made a state final run before falling to Cheltenham, 76‑56, in the Class AAAA Eastern final.

Heading into the 2002 season, Bucciarelli was still at the helm. The Lady Comets had won 8 straight District 2 titles from 1996-2003. Their next would come in 2006, led by another top recruit, Becky Burke, who later played Division I basketball at Louisville.

“It was definitely his intensity that shaped me into the player I became, along with his no‑nonsense approach to winning. He coached me hard — and that’s exactly what I wanted. I loved that he held me to a standard of greatness,” said former Abington and Louisville standout — and current University of Arizona head coach — Becky Burke.

She continued:

“I think it was the culture and the standard. If you wanted to play for Abington Heights, you knew exactly what you were getting: a serious program with a competitive culture. That’s why I chose to work hard for my team and for him.”

In 2009, Vince Bucciarelli reached his 500‑win milestone.

Then came 2014.

Despite all his success, Abington Heights administration pushed him to resign.

“I told them, ‘I’m not ready to retire,’” Bucciarelli said in a March 2014 Scranton Times interview.

He left Abington Heights with one of the best coaching résumés in area history:

14 District Championships.

A dynasty from 1996–2003.

And generations of players molded under his leadership.

But he wasn’t done.

In 2014, he was hired by Mid Valley to lead their girls basketball program.

He doesn’t take breaks. He doesn’t take years off. His passion runs too deep.

In December 2015, he reached another milestone — his 600th win — a moment remembered well by former player Kiana Williams, who went on to star at Lackawanna College.

“What I remember most about Coach’s 600th win is the feeling of pride — knowing my teammates and I shared that moment with him. It was an honor to help him reach something so significant,” Williams said.

She continued:

“Being part of his 600th win in 2016 is something I’ll carry with me forever. Not many coaches ever reach that milestone, so knowing I played a role in something so historic for one of the best coaches I’ve ever had — or even coached alongside — means everything to me. He’s the reason I coach today. That’s how much of an impact he’s had on my life.” 

She added:

“Coach taught me so many lessons during my years at Mid Valley — lessons far beyond basketball — that have stayed with me ever since. He taught me to be confident and to love the person I am. He showed me that if I don’t respect myself, others never will. And he reminded me that life isn’t about wins or losses; it’s about the people standing next to you and supporting you no matter the outcome.”

It took him three seasons to help the Spartanettes return to a winning record. In 2017, they finished 17‑9. In 2018, he led them to the state playoffs — Mid Valley’s first appearance in six years.

In 2021 or 2022, Vince applied for the head varsity girl coaching position at Lakeland High School. With a résumé any program would be blessed to have — and a track record of building culture — he was, in my opinion, the right choice. Lakeland chose to hire Kyle Kiehart. 

Great coaches don’t just coach — they build belief. Vince has proved that time and time again.

“Vince Bucciarelli is an absolute master of the X’s and O’s. His teams over the years have always been well-prepared, well-respected, and they consistently played hard for him. In today’s coaching world, reaching 700 wins is a testament not only to his longevity, but to his sustained excellence.” Said long time Valley View girls basketball Coach Robbie Martin, who coached few times against Vince during his time with the Mid Valley Spartanettes. 

Robbie Added:

“But beyond basketball, what people don’t always see is the person he is — one of the friendliest, most respectful guys you’ll ever meet. His love for the game and his compassion for his players truly go unmatched. I couldn’t be happier for Coach and this incredible achievement.”

After one year as an assistant at Scranton Prep, he was hired by Dallas in 2022 to lead the Mountaineers’ girls basketball program. Dallas opened this season 2‑0 — and on Saturday, Vince reached another milestone:

700 wins.

How many more years does Vince Bucciarelli have left?

How many more milestones?

Only time will tell.

What we do know is this:

You don’t coach this long for trophies.

You coach because you love the game.

Because legends like Vince Bucciarelli aren’t measured by numbers.

They’re measured by the people they’ve shaped.

The character they’ve built.

And the legacy they’ve left.

And make no mistake —

He built it all.

And Becky Burke said it best:

“Vince never made me feel that I had “arrived” or was as good as everyone would tell me. He was always challenging me and wanting me to get better. He was a high level competitor, and that definitely showed in the way he would schedule and challenge us. Not afraid to play anybody. “

Basketball coaches like Vince — coaches who reach 700 wins — don’t come often.

And The 14 District 2 Championships.

It’s rare.

Special.

Historic.

And now, he stands alone:

The winningest girls basketball coach in District 2 history.