Stanley "Coach Kab" Kabacinski of Lancaster, PA, formerly of Duryea, PA, passed away on April 19, 2022 at the age of 72. Father. Coach. Educator. Motivational Speaker. And so much more, Coach Kab created a legacy of passion and enthusiasm for life with his trademark "Yes!" exclamation and a pumped fist.

Coach Kab was born on May 23, 1949 in Duryea, PA, the son of Bernard and Anna (Pulaski) Kabacinski. He earned his Bachelors of Science and Masters of Education in Health, Physical Education and Dance from East Stroudsburg State College in 1971 and 1975 respectively.

On June 26, 1971, he married Mary Claire Finnerty, his wife of 51 years, and love of his life. They had two sons, Ryan and Michael who were the center of his world.

Coach Kab's eclectic and passionate career led him to do everything from training the Chinese Women's National Soccer Team to researching performance enhancement with the Russian National Wrestling Team, to motivating numerous state champion high school teams, to coaching his sons little league teams. In total, he coached or advised on 24 different sports in his career.

Coach Kab played offensive line, wearing #72 for the East Stroudsburg Warriors from 1967-1971. He had a Hall of Fame career both as a player and a coach for ESU. Named in 2014 for his coaching on the back-to-back undefeated 1975 & 76 Warrior teams, and later in 2019, for his play on the undefeated 1968 team.

In 1978, he moved to Lancaster and began a fulfilling career coaching and teaching at Millersville University. From 1978-88, he served as offensive coordinator, strength coach and recruiting coordinator for the Marauders. Noted run game guru, Coach Kab studied the veer offense at Nebraska under Tom Osborne, and brought it to Marauders to great success during the 1980s, with nine winning seasons in ten years. After 1988, he left coaching football with a career record of 118-48-4 (70.6 win%).

In 1989, after training with the American Coaching Effectiveness Program (ACEP) and researching with the U.S. Military Academy Performance Enhancement Center at West Point, Coach Kab started the Athletic Coaching Minor at Millersville University, recognized as one of the top coaching programs in the country. That would lead him to serving on the PA Governor's Council on Fitness and Sport, managing the training of all coaches in the state on bloodborne pathogens, and developing his own workbook for sport and life, "Coach Kab's Heart of a Champion."

As a motivational speaker, Coach Kab traveled the country as part of the NCAA speakers bureau, and helped to train coaches as an ACEP instructor. He conducted over 350 motivational seminars for teams and corporations. While teaching at Millersville, Coach Kab would go on to become Chairperson of the Department of Wellness and Sports Sciences in 1999, and helped to create the Masters program in Sports Management.

Retiring in 2009, he traveled with his wife Mary Claire to his favorite destinations including Cape May and Miami Beach. Retirement also allowed Coach Kab time to passionately cheer on his favorite teams, the New York Yankees and San Francisco 49ers. He also enjoyed sport card collecting, landscaping and swimming in his pool.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by his two sons, Ryan of Washington, D.C., and Michael husband of Brandi of Lancaster, PA. He is also survived by his siblings, Andre husband of Mary Ann of Duryea, PA, Paul Kabacinski, husband of John of Kingston, PA, Angela, wife of Daryl Rusnock and Mary Kabacinski, both of Duryea, PA, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased in death by his brother Bernard Kabacinski.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 AM on Friday, April 29, 2022, at St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church, 2111 Millersville Pike, Lancaster, PA 17603. Interment will follow at St. Joseph's New Catholic cemetery. Family and Friends will be received from 10 AM – 11 AM at the church on Friday. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Millersville University. Please visit www.millersville.edu/give2mu and select "Athletic Coaching Minor Program." Checks, made out to Millersville University and indicating the designation on the memo, can be mailed to the Office of Development, PO Box 1002, Millersville, PA 17551.