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We all go through life looking to make an impact in the world around us. Most do it without fanfare, but those of us in a public forum have the power – if done the right way – to influence many lives in a positive, informative and entertaining way.
Nowadays, they are called social media influencers. But for many who still pick up a newspaper or read those same stories online, the passing of those writers that they have depended on through the years inevitably produced profound reactions to the news. All of a sudden, they realize that there’s now a void in their lives.
Donato “Dan” Ventura, better known as Danny V, was the voice of Massachusetts high school sports for decades. His prose in the Boston Herald was a must read for thousands of avid local sports fans, especially around state tournament time. He also had the comings and goings of coaches, before anybody else.
Ventura’s network of sources was extensive, only because he took the time to talk to the movers and shakers in the high school sports world. It all came down to a mutual trust with each other. That type of dedication to the job, unfortunately, doesn’t happen that much anymore in today’s world.
Winchester High School coaches offered their thoughts on and interactions with Danny V through the years, and their tributes showed that impact, which he had on many for over three decades in the ensuing text.
Former WHS girls soccer coach Rick Emanuel
“It’s not easy to summarize my thoughts and memories of someone [who was] so important to high school sports in only a few sentences.
“My first encounter with Danny came when he reached out to me after I took over the Winchester High girls soccer program from the legendary Chris Scanlon in 2016. He made me feel instantly comfortable and welcomed into the [high school] scene, a simple act that meant a lot at the time.
“Over the years, we would connect regularly during the season, because he genuinely cared about getting it right, especially since soccer wasn't his primary sport. I never doubted his integrity or professionalism, so our conversations were always open and relaxed. You just trusted that he would represent the sport and the kids in a positive light.
“Danny didn’t just cover high school sports; he was a part of what made them special. He will be dearly missed by coaches, players and anyone fortunate enough to have known him.”
WHS girls basketball coach Sam Mosley
“Dan was a gem, always looking out for the best in both the players and coaches. His knowledge and history of [high school] sports were undeniable. His passion for the games was seen, even on Twitter (X). He will be missed, but I honestly think we will still be talking about him for years to come.”
WHS boys hockey coach Gino Khachadourian
“Danny was an outstanding reporter, who was passionate about his job. He loved to promote high school sports, and you could tell that he really cared about the kids.”
WHS girls lacrosse coach Suzanne Ontso
“Danny was a big supporter of girls lacrosse in Eastern Massachusetts. I had many interactions with him over the years [in my role] as president of the EMass Girls Lacrosse Association, especially around All-Scholastic time. He was always excited to talk lacrosse, and to highlight student-athletes. I can still remember a great profile that he did once on Megan Hennessey (WHS Class of 2013) for the Boston Herald’s HotShots (publication).”
VIDEO: Boston Herald’s Danny V talks to WHS boys basketball coach John Fleming, player Michael Grassey in 2015.
Boston Herald High School Sports Editor Danny Ventura comes to Winchester High in 2015.
Former WHS girls tennis coach Greg Lowder
“Danny was a great guy and super supportive of all high school sports. He’ll be greatly missed.”
WHS girls hockey coach Tommy Scarpa
“Though I actually never met Danny, I felt like I knew him forever. He was always very helpful and extremely nice to me, especially when I first started out at Matignon, my first high school [coaching job]. We always had great conversations on the state of high school hockey. He would also reach out to me at the beginning of each season, and seemed genuinely interested in my thoughts on the upcoming [games].
“During COVID, my Matignon team was undefeated, and was on a great run. He would call me weekly to check in, and he genuinely seemed happy for me, because he knew I was trying hard to continue the Matignon hockey legacy that Marty Pierce had started, [this time] only on the girls side. He will definitely be missed, because he did so much for high school sports.”
WHS boys lacrosse coach Phil Reuland
“I appreciate the time and effort that Dan put into high school sports. I think he put a spotlight on some great stories, and made those kids feel special. That’s a great thing to be remembered for.”
WHS girls, boys volleyball, and boys basketball coach John Fleming
“Danny V was the main voice of high school sports in this state for decades. For as long as I can remember, he was the go-to person for high school sports news and updates. While the business has changed over the years, he was still the face of interscholastic sports in this state. He often advocated for changes to improve the MIAA.
“I remember [him] coming to WHS to do a segment on former player Michael Grassey during his senior year [in 2015]. He stayed for a good portion of the practice, and interviewed Michael, myself and a few of the players.
“In today’s world of social media, there are posts and highlights on every single game, even AAU games. Every player has a ‘highlight reel’ from a game that [even] includes layups from pregame warmups. When you have that, these types of stories lose their impact, but when Danny V came to your town to write an article and do a video segment, it was held [to a higher standard]. He was doing maybe one per week, so if he showed up, you knew you had a player who was really having an outstanding season, which Michael had in his senior year.
“There are now a number of high school sports reporters and content creators doing a good job, [but] I hope they try to find some balance of what Danny was trying to do, [instead of being] the first [to post] or simply post content with less depth [for the sake of quantity over quality].”
Joe McConnell is a longtime, award-winning sports editor for numerous North Shore publications. He began covering Winchester sports for the News in November 2024 and is currently its Sports Editor. He can be reached at editor@winchesternews.org.
