Joe Picano, a long-time familiar face on the Cranston sports scene, has been named as an honoree at the 2016 Hall of Fame Night put on by the Providence Gridiron Club. Picano, now retired and a North Scituate resident, was a long-time teacher and coach in the Cranston School system.

He attended Cranston schools, earning an Outstanding Student Award at Bain Junior High and was also a Student Council Vice President and the VP for the Football Club.

At Cranston High School East, he played on the varsity team under legendary coach Edward Stebbins as both an offensive guard and a defensive end. Because of his stellar play, he was named to the Providence Journal All-State team as a defensive end.

The 1965 Thunderbolt team was a co-champion in Class A with an 8-1 record, and in 1966, the green and white went 10-0, being rated one of the best Cranston football teams of all-time. The next year, Joe was co-captain of his team, which went 8-2 despite losing 17 starters from the previous year's juggernaut.

Picano then attended Southern Connecticut State University, where he earned his freshman numeral playing defensive end for the Owls. Circumstances necessitated a transfer to URI, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education.

Joe taught 31 years in Cranston schools. He has coached in the CLCF programs; for the Edgewood Eagles, and served three years as an assistant coach at Ponaganset High School.

As a wrestling coach at Western Hills Junior High, he led the Cobras’ grapplers to seven league championships and five freshman state titles.

He was also a coach for the Cranston East football team with Ted Stebbins for seven years before going to Cranston West for 20 years. He was an integral part of the Falcons’ 2004 state championship team.

Picano was instrumental in starting lacrosse at West and handled that program for eight years. He led the team handball group in the Ocean State games in 1985.

In 2008, Picano was selected for the R.I. Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Patriotic to the core, Picano also served in the R.I. National Guard from 1970-76, stationed at Fort Gordon, Georgia, as a military policeman in the Fourth MP Brigade.

Picano has been married for 39 years to his wife, Janice Picano, and has two accomplished daughters, Bridget and Kristen, along with three granddaughters and a grandson.

Cranston’s James Lynch will join Picano as a 2016 inductee.  

Lynch was an outstanding high school and college football player and all-around athlete. He later became a lifelong assistant coach at several R.I. high schools in addition to establishing himself as a well-known swim coach.