Growing up in the Lakeview Projects, Kenny Ivy felt trapped, believing Art Serotte held the key to a better life for him. Ironically, fear of Serotte led Ivy to enroll at Emerson Vocational High School as a freshman, avoiding Grover Cleveland, where Serotte worked. That year was tumultuous for Ivy as his mother suffered a stroke, not knowing his father weighed on him and he was spiraling into delinquency through fighting. The turning point came when his mother called the police to request paperwork to turn him over to the state. Due to their deep bond, Ivy pleaded for her not to sign, promising he would no longer fight. She believed him. A determined Ivy sought out Serotte at an All-High Stadium high jump event the following day. No longer fearful, he was driven by desperation and direction, so he implored Serotte to provide the discipline he evaded. Serotte, aware of Ivy’s reputation, was reluctant. Ivy’s promise to his mother resonated with him and he agreed to be his guiding light. Ivy, class of 1981, transferred to Grover Cleveland and was part of some of Western New York's best football teams. After his playing days, Ivy went on to work for the FBI and spent a year in the White House during Barack Obama’s presidency. Ivy’s story is one example of the countless lives Serotte influenced as a successful football and basketball coach. Serotte died on Monday at the age of 85, surrounded by family. He’s survived by sons Mike and David. “I often referred to him as my surrogate father,” Ivy said. “Every man needs four pillars and he was my last pillar to stand up right, referring to a table. It was difficult to see him transition into the afterworld, but what’s most important to me is the legacy he left behind here in Buffalo. That’s the one thing I wish this city would really take note of it of: just how significant the impact this man had on hundreds, if not thousands, of student-athletes at middle schools and Grover Cleveland.” Inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in 2003, the coach nicknamed “Duke” led Grover Cleveland to 12 Harvard Cup football championships between 1964 and 1992, including a 28-game winning streak in the 1970s. He won 10 section championships and five Yale Cup titles on the basketball court. He also coached track and cross country. Beyond his achievements, Serotte's legacy is in the lives he shaped through athletics. As a man of high expectations, he expected top-tier behavior. To ensure this, he hosted game nights and sleepovers at his home on Friday nights during football season, more so to protect his players. It was his way of having a watchful and supportive environment before their Saturday games. Serotte cherished his home and readily opened it to his players, many of whom lacked affection. He wanted them to experience being loved and offered unwavering support if they had personal struggles. Even after graduation, his former players frequented the home for visits and gatherings. “He loved his house, and he loved coaching inner-city kids,” said Serotte’s son, Mike. “He had an absolute burning passion that was insatiable for helping, coaching and teaching inner-city kids from any part of the community. He had an impact and influence on so many student-athletes. These are kids that came from challenging parts of the city of Buffalo.” Maurice Eldridge, class of 1981 and Ivy’s lifelong friend, also felt Serotte’s influence. Like Ivy, Eldridge first met Serotte at a track meet and initially felt intimidated by his stern demeanor. However, he overcame his fear and went on to have a close relationship with his coach. Throughout his college football career at Kent State, Eldridge often sought Serotte’s guidance on navigating the demands of being a student-athlete. Serotte provided the blunt advice Eldridge needed, even when it was difficult. Eldridge went on to try out for the Seattle Seahawks before establishing his own security business and working as a bodyguard for pop singer Britney Spears. As Eldridge started his own family, he brought his sons to Serotte’s events. His sons developed such an affinity with Serotte that he became their grandfather figure. Despite never playing for him, his passing has deeply affected them and has their father. “Once you got to know Art, he was one of the best human beings I’ve ever met,” Eldridge said. “Was a father figure to thousands of men across the country. People always gravitated back to him or his house. He allowed us to be part of his family and his son's lives, and that’s something I’ll never forget. The city of Buffalo lost a true humanitarian in Art Serotte.” Eldridge added, “I take my hat off to his sons, Mike and David, for allowing hundreds if not thousands of young men to come in and out of their house where they live at and be part of their lives. Watching him raise his sons taught me how to be a great dad. He made time for others and his boys and it helped us juggle life.” Following his coaching career, Serotte transitioned to a media career at WJLL 1440. Frontier boys soccer coach Rich Kozak found the timing of Serotte’s death poignant, as it coincided with their former colleague Roger Weiss’ two-year death anniversary. The three had worked together at the station for over a decade, providing weekly coverage of Harvard Cup games that led to the creation of the Harvard Cup Hall of Fame. Kozak deeply admired Serotte, having first met him in the 1990s. When they became co-workers, Serotte’s experience and passion injected energy into their broadcasts, and his stature and color analyst style added credibility in the booth. Even as a media personality, Serotte continued to leave his mark, creating his own “All-Serotte” team published in The News. As Kozak got to know Serotte, he understood Serotte’s desire to see everyone reach their potential. “He had a great way of bringing people together,” Kozak said. “When I started doing my thing with him, he gave a sense of legitimacy to our broadcast. He didn’t really want to do it, but he was in the press box, and it was a match made in heaven. “He had such an affinity for the Buffalo schools and the Harvard Cup and the kids from the city. He was a father figure to a lot of guys that could’ve been astray by their situation. His legacy is very long-reaching. They talk about coaching trees in the NFL, but Art Serotte had a life forest. He planted a lot of seeds that have grown into so many great young gentlemen and ladies all over the world.”