Hall of Fame
Patrick L. Pizzarelli, a graduate of Massapequa High School(Section VIII), was the President of NYSPHSAA from 2008 to 2010 and is presently the Chair of the Handbook Committee. He is a longtime athletics administrator, teacher and coach in Section VIII. He received a Bachelor's Degree from Southern Connecticut State University where he played football and lacrosse. He received his Master's degree from SUNY at Stony Brook and his Professional Diploma in School District Administration and Supervision from Long Island University, CW Post Campus. Pizzarelli began his career in education at the Madison Public Schools in Madison, CT as a Special Education Aide, Substitute Teacher and Driver Education Instructor in 1976. He coached both football and lacrosse at Madison and in his two years there the football team went 22-0 and won two State Championships. Pat’s Madison lacrosse teams won the North Division in lacrosse. Pizzarelli then spent two years as the Offensive Backs Coach at Wagner College and taught Physical Education at St. Patrick's School. He then returned to Long Island and taught Physical Education at Plainedge High School in Section VIII while coaching football, basketball, wrestling, and then in 1982, he established the school’s first lacrosse program. As the Defensive Coordinator for the varsity football team, the Red Devils won the County Championship shutting out six of the ten opponents they faced in the1984. In 1987 Pizzarelli was hired as the Supervisor of Physical Education, Health and Athletics for the Hicksville Public Schools in Section VIII then five years later he moved to the Lawrence Public Schools as the Director of Physical Education, Health and Athletics. In 2011, the Lawrence Board of Education appointed him Assistant Superintendent for Student and Community Affairs until his retirement in 2015. While at Lawrence, Pizzarelli instituted a lacrosse program and re-established girls JV soccer, basketball and softball. Throughout his career, Pizzarelli has served as president of multiple associations including the NYSAHPERD Nassau Zone (twice), Nassau County Public High School Athletic Association, and NYSAAA. He remains the only person to serve as president of both the NYSPHSAA and the NYSAAA. Pizzarelli has been the recipient of many honors during his 40 years in education including the NIAAA State Award of Merit, the NFHS Citation, NYAAA Apple Award, and NYSAAA Outstanding Athletic Administrator Award. Additionally he was inducted into the NYSAAA Hall of Fame in March 2016. Pizzarelli has been the Executive Director of Section VIII since 2017.