Bio

Joe Zavattaro has become synonymous with the North Adams State Athletics. A pioneer of the College Athletics program, Joe player the first sports offered here at the College and then went on to coach and finally lead the department at Athletic Director.

A lifelong baseball enthusiast, Joe was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates shortly after graduating from Pittsfield High School. His professional career propelled him to the Triple A level. From there he enrolled as a student at the College, starring in both Men’s Basketball and Baseball. During the school years, 1957-58 and 1958-59, Joe was the recipient of the Louis Parisien Memorial Award. This award is presented to a student athlete that excels on the playing field and in the classroom. As a student, Joe was president of the Men’s Athletic Association, the Science Club, and served on the Student Council.

After graduation, he returned to Pittsfield to coach Pittsfield High School to the Western Massachusetts Baseball Finals in 1963. A year later, he took over the helm at his alma mater. There he would stay for thirty-three years. Coupled with his duties as Athletic Director, Joe also coached Soccer, Basketball, and of course, Baseball.

Coaching baseball has allowed Joe to travel all over the world. He has taught and coached the sport in countries such as Zimbabwe, Italy, Canada and Japan. He has published his ideas on Baseball in numerous publications; “New England Baseball Monthly”, “Hit-Hit-Hit”, and “The Tools of Intelligence”. His service on committees is unparalleled in New England. He has served on the NCAA Rules Committee, Chair of the NCAA Baseball Committee, ECAC Softball and Baseball Committee, U.S. Baseball Federation’s International Relations Committee, and as President of the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference.

As the Baseball Coach, Joe has coached countless numbers of All-MASCAC, All-New England, and All-American players. His teams have won 11 Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference titles and have been invited to the ECAC and NCAA tournament numerous times. Joe’s final season at NASC was capped with the MASCAC title and an invitation to the NCAA tournament. A fitting end to a career at his alma mater that ended with 493 wins.