AJ Sports

July 28, 2010

Baseball coach steps down at Lakeland High

John Gordon Abington Journal Correspondent

Joe Vadala’s bond with the Lakeland High School baseball program began before he was born. His father, Joe Vadala Sr., played for the Lakeland Lakers in 1961. In 1983, that bond grew into an unconditional love when Vadala witnessed his brother, Pat, win a district title for the Chiefs. Vadala was 10 years old at the time, but his calling was taking shape.

In 1989, when Vadala was a sophomore, the Chiefs made it to the district title game and fell short of being crowned champions. Twenty years later, Vadala led the Chiefs to the 2009 District II title game as head coach, and the team responded by earning their mentor the district championship.

It was a moment that will resonate with the Greenfield Township resident.

“The way we came from behind in most of the games to win the title will always be one of my fondest memories,” said Vadala.

Winning the title brought his baseball career with Lakeland full circle. The loop began in his youth and continued in 1996. He was hired at the age of 23 by Lakeland as head baseball coach after being assistant for one season at his college alma mater, East Stroudsburg University. Vadala had previously attended Lackawanna Junior College on a scholarship before transferring to East Stroudsburg.

In 1996, Vadala came into a program at Lakeland that had won four total games during the previous four seasons. But with a lot of practice, that was about to change.

“The building block for this program’s turnaround was the implementation of a great practice ethic,” said Vadala. “The players put everything they had into practicing the right way and the assistant coaches did a great job making sure everyone was pulling the rope in the same direction.”

The Chiefs have since lassoed three Lackawanna League titles, along with the 2009 District championship. Vadala’s record as coach is 160-110 during 14 seasons. It was not easy when Vadala first took charge of the team.

“Most of the team was composed of freshman when I arrived,” said Vadala. “Eight sophomores were starting in my second year as coach.

“Principal Al Chelik approached me in 1996 and told me that if I wanted to do the job right then I had to be in the school. That changed my life. I went back to East Stroudsburg and received my teaching certificate. By 1999 I was now teaching and coaching.”

Vadala said that by the time he was teaching, most of his players were seniors, and he was forming an all-important bond in the classroom as well as on the baseball diamond.

That bond would be the basis of the team chemistry that would endure the rigors of time during the next decade. The bond with his students and athletes would serve as a catalyst in 2009 when Vadala stepped down as the head coach after battling Multiple Sclerosis during the season.

“The kids put everything they had into everything all of my years there,” said Vadala. “They always met the demands I set. It was great having their support through my illness.”

“During the 2009 title game, I was sick and my assistant, Larry Piccini, was doing the on-field coaching while I was making the decisions from the dugout,” said Vadala.

“Larry has been with the squad the last five seasons. He is ready to be head coach and will do a tremendous job. I have great respect for him.”

New coach, Piccini, of Jessup echoed the sentiments of his mentor.

“It has been an honor to coach for Joe,” said Piccini. “I learned so much from him. He did tremendous things for this program.”

Piccini graduated from Valley View in 2000 and won a district title as a player that year as a senior. He brings that winning attitude with him in his first season as head coach of the Chiefs.

“I’m very excited about the opportunity to coach here,” said Piccini. “We have a class act group of kids with talent and should be very competitive, even after losing our top two pitchers to graduation, Danny Pittack and Geoff Demming.”

While those two student athletes have advanced their education, Vadala can’t say enough about what Lakeland baseball and sports have done for him.

“All of my coaches through the years have been instrumental in my life,” said Vadala. “My football coach Dan Case, basketball coach Bob Morcom and baseball skipper Dave Doud.

“All of the players, students, coaches, principals and parents have made me feel special,” he said. “I got my education due to Lakeland baseball and the school.”

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