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(Left) Coach of the Year Pete Peña cuts the net at the FCSAA Championship Tournament. (Right) After winning the State tournament, Peña hugs Brenda, his wife of nearly 40 years.
For nearly five decades, Coach Pete Peña has been a pillar of Pensacola State College’s athletic program, but his connection to PSC runs even deeper. Originally from New York, Peña found his true home in Pensacola when former men’s basketball coach Chip Boes brought him on as an assistant coach nearly 47 years ago.
“This is home. This has always been home. I’m coaching at the place where I’ve always wanted to coach. I love where I am, I love the people I deal with every day, and I love my kids. I’m just living a dream. This has been my dream school. I graduated from here. I’ve got a lot of strong ties to Pensacola State College, and I’m better for it.”
Beyond his love of basketball, Peña is most proud of his role as a husband, father and brother. He met his wife, Brenda, at a golf tournament while finishing school, just as she was preparing to head to Gainesville for her degree. The two will celebrate 40 years of marriage this August 1.
“I’m very proud to be a husband, a father and a brother, and I try to be the very best I can be in that regard,” shared Pete.
Peña credits much of his character his father, a man he deeply admires.
“I was raised by strong women – my mom, my sister, the nuns at my schools – but my dad was the one who answered the bell every single day, going to work to provide for his family. I saw how he treated my mother, and I am so proud of the legacy he left me.”
If given a chance to thank his father today, Peña knows exactly what he would say.
“I’d thank him for raising him the way he did – for teaching me to respect everyone and to treat each person like they are as important as any person you’ll ever meet. My father gave me the playbook on how to treat people and how to care for family.”
A legacy in his own right in Pensacola, Peña takes pride in showcasing the city’s warmth and friendliness.
“If someone visited me here, I’d take them to as many places as possible so they could feel the vibe – the way people genuinely care for one another, how you walk into a place and people say hello. I really believe that everyone is good; we just have to try to bring out the good in each other.”
The same philosophy extends to his role as a coach and mentor.
“When I walk in somewhere and someone says, ‘Hey, Coach – how are you?’ that means the world to me. It means I’ve touched enough people’s lives that they’re happy to see me. I want to make sure that when I leave somewhere, people think well of me, my family and Pensacola State because I represent them.”
Beyond his coaching achievements and community impact, spending time with Pete Peña guarantees a lot of laughter.
“Hanging around with me, personally? You are going to see some sarcasm – I have a little bit of that. You’re going to laugh because there’s no way I go more than 30 minutes without making a joke or doing something to make others laugh,” he admitted.
And while many know Peña as an accomplished coach and a beloved figure in Pensacola, there might be one surprising fact about him.
“What might surprise everybody is that I love mysteries. I’ve read a couple of Sherlock Holmes stories, and I am a sucker for Hallmark mysteries,” he admitted with a laugh. “I know they can be so corny sometimes, but I am truly attached to Hallmark mysteries!”
There is no mystery when it comes to Coach Pete Peña – he is a genuine, fun-loving and dedicated man who pours his heart into his family, his community and Pensacola State College. Whether on the court or out in the community, Peña’s impact is undeniable, and PSC is better for having him as part of its story.