North Schuylkill community mourns legendary wrestling coach
FOUNTAIN SPRINGS – Two nouns that are synonymous: North Schuylkill Wrestling and Joe Cesari.
At the helm of the North Schuylkill Spartans wrestling program, for 23 years, Cesari has two state championships to his credit among numerous other accolades.
Cesari passed away peacefully Tuesday in Las Vegas, Nevada, his son, Joe Cesari, Jr., announced. He was 84.
“It is amazing to us how many lives he touched in his 84 years on earth,” the younger Cesari said in an announcement. “Please pray for my mom and sister and our family. It’s been a day of experiencing the full range of human emotions.”
“Coach Cesari’s legacy continues to live on through generations of wrestlers who still return to our mats and halls, carrying with them the pride, discipline, and sense of family he instilled in Spartan Wrestling,” the North Schuylkill Athletic Department said in a statement. “Coach Cesari was a legendary figure in North Schuylkill Wrestling—building the program into a powerhouse locally, across District XI, and throughout Pennsylvania.”
He drew national attention to the Spartan program in 1989, as he was featured in a Sports Illustrated article.
Cesari was head coach for North Schuylkill for 23 years and earned a 357-31-2 record, coaching ten individual state champions — including his sons — and two team state champions.
Eight seasons were undefeated.
He was a two-time Wrestling USA Coach of the Year, eight-time District XI Coach of the Year, and more.
The gymnasium at North Schuylkill was dedicated in honor of him and Coach Hope in 2015.
“Mr. Cesari was many things—husband, father, educator, administrator, coach, and mentor—but above all, he was a great man,” the athletics department said.
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