On Feb. 11, senior Joseph DiMattina announced his commitment to play football at Union College via Instagram.
DiMattina has played many sports throughout his childhood, ranging from lacrosse, basketball and soccer, all the way to tennis, pickleball, paddle tennis, swimming, ice hockey and ultimate frisbee. Football, however, seemed to be the sport that stuck the most with him. He began his journey with tackle football in the third grade, yet started with flag football at five years old.
The Westfield football program has been tremendously impacted by DiMattina over his high school career. In just his sophomore year, he earned a starting position on varsity after switching from defensive end to linebacker, beating out four seniors. Primarily, he plays outside linebacker, but he can also line up at inside linebacker when needed. He ended this past season with 3.5 tackles for loss, 21 solo tackles, 12 assist tackles and 1 forced fumble.
For DiMattina, Union College stood out as the perfect balance between academic rigor and athletic excellence. He was drawn to the school’s strong football tradition and the overall success of its athletic programs, but it was his campus visit in January that solidified his decision. DiMattina said, “I went up early in the morning and walked into a well-preserved building that had a magnificent dome and artwork both outside and inside, which fell in line with the rest of the architecture of the school, making the buildings feel like more than just buildings.” Other factors that influenced DiMattina’s decision include the bonds between the players and the coaches, as well as the team chemistry.
Union College is a private, liberal arts college with an enrollment of over 2,000 students, located in Schenectady, New York. It competes at the NCAA Division III level as a member of the Liberty League. Last season, the team finished with an 8-3 record, losing to Muhlenberg College 26-34 in the first round of the NCAA Championship despite a strong offensive performance.
There is no doubt that DiMattina will seamlessly transition into the college-level competition of Union College football. As an athlete, he sees himself as someone who is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve a goal or motive. “Even if that means breaking myself down, critiquing my play style and reinventing the athlete I am to succeed both on and off the field,” said DiMattina. That mindset, however, was not formed without adversity. During his recruitment process, DiMattina faced one of the toughest obstacles of his career: a torn ACL, MCL and meniscus. The injury prevented him from performing at camps and recruitment visits, forcing him to rely solely on film to showcase his abilities. It also raised concerns among coaches, who questioned whether he would return as the same player or become injury-prone. Yet, true to his words about reinventing himself, DiMattina approached rehabilitation with determination, using the setback as fuel rather than allowing it to define him.
Joseph’s sister, sophomore Nicole DiMattina, had a front-row seat to the resilience he displayed throughout his recovery and recruitment journey. She watched him attack rehabilitation with the same intensity he brings to football. “Even when Joe tore his ACL, MCL and meniscus, he didn’t let that end his recruitment and didn’t let it become a football-ending injury,” Nicole said. “He kept training his leg and decided to have surgery so he could grow back to how he used to be and reach his full potential. He did it so he could still fulfill his dream of going to college for football.”
While DiMattina is ready for the next chapter of his football career, he is the first to credit the people who helped him get there, especially his family. DiMattina said, “My family has always had my back in everything I have done. Even when they were worried about letting me play football, they saw it was something that I truly enjoyed, so they allowed me to play.”
One person who meant the most to him was his grandfather. His biggest supporter, Poppy, made every effort to attend games, no matter how far the drive from his house in Lakewood. He instilled in DiMattina the mindset to “learn and forget,” teaching him that tough moments are temporary and better ones always follow. When his grandfather passed away midway through the season, just before a game against Union, DiMattina was devastated. “I dedicated that game to him by writing on my turf tape, ‘For Him.’ I continue to do this, and now I play with him always by my side, knowing that he will be with me through everything I endure and having him be able to watch my journey and success,” said DiMattina.
Nicole believes Joseph’s mindset and determination will make a strong impact on his college team. “I can envision Joe being a voice of reason. He has a very driven mindset and his determination will really shine through. He always puts his best foot forward in all of his passions,” said Nicole. “If he wants to do something, he will put his mind to it and get it done.”
In DiMattina’s freshman year at Union College, he will be playing behind a senior, so his goal is to pick up whatever he can from him about the nickelback position and be ready to start the following year. As for younger athletes who want to play college football, his advice is this: “Whatever is happening in life, season-ending injury, sudden death of family, depression, or simply just self-doubt in your ability, I would always go back to this phrase in my mind, ‘It is always sunny on the other side of the storm.’ No matter what happens in life, it was meant to happen, and God intended for you to experience it so you could learn. The hardships are the experience of the storm, which, when it blows over you, will be a different person in that sunny field.”
