After 17 years within the WHS community, former assistant principal and former varsity football head coach James Desarno has climbed the ladder to the athletic director position. He has replaced Sandra Mamary, former athletic director of 14 years.
Desarno attended Montclair State University, where he received his Bachelor of Science in Physical Education, and later acquired his Master’s in Educational Administration from Kean University.
In 2006, Desarno began his career at Westfield as a Physical Education teacher, as well as the head football coach. He became an assistant principal in 2013 at Westfield while still maintaining his coaching position. This year marks the first season in 17 years that Desarno will not be leading the football team. Senior captain Jack Martin said, “It was really sad to see him go because of how much work he’s done to build our program, but I am really happy for him.”
It was always Desarno’s dream to jump into an athletic director’s position, being his intention following college. Though he stepped into multiple roles before this opportunity, Desarno is prepared for this job as his past experience of coaching baseball, softball, basketball and track, will come in handy.
Desarno loves how much he has learned about other sports thus far, and looks forward to learning about new sports as well. Fellow administrators have seen this same attitude. “He’s been on the field next to Chris and at almost every contest we’ve had so far: whether it be field hockey, I’ve seen him at tennis, he’s come to volleyball. I know he’s very excited to learn more about all the other sports,” said athletic trainer Nicole Castellano.
His years of coaching experience, specifically at Westfield, has ingrained and familiarized him with the WHS athletics community and culture. Desarno had a strong connection with the athletes and coaches before even stepping into this position; therefore, feels he knows this program inside and out. Desarno said, “I fell in love with Westfield, and I have never wanted to leave. This is an opportunity to finish my career here, it makes it all worthwhile.”
As Westfield Athletics holds a strong reputation with multiple successful teams, Desarno said, “I do not plan on changing anything, nothing was broken. The traditions were set here long before me and the other athletic directors who took this position before. There may be some little changes, but nothing that’s going to sink the ship, or even tip it.”
Desarno is proud of the program Westfield has built for itself; the strong youth programs and growing athletics community has allowed years of practice to translate from youth to high school sports. Desarno said, “Having such a nice and tight community that values all different activities has given kids so many avenues to participate. I’ve always felt like at a public school, when you talk about family with your teams, it holds more water, as opposed to somewhere else, where you are just coming together for the first time in September.”
As Desarno’s first fall season has been in action, Castellano said, “[Desarno] has been supportive of all of our programs, I have seen him at all the teams’ home games.”
Desarno is excited to take on this new chapter in his life, he said “I am here to help, I am here to be an organizer. I want to do all the things I can do to support the coaches, to support the athletes, and to support the district. That’s my role.”
