CBA Grad Returns to Fill Athletic Director Position
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30 OCTOBER 2020 | TheJournalNJ.com
BY TIM MORRIS
Mike Mazzaccaro was all set to start his post-college life working for an
get in the way of this career path for the Princeton University graduate.
That was the pull of his high school alma mater, Christian Brothers Academy.
school, he would like to be considered for either or both positions.
there was an opening for a history teacher at the school and an assistant coach in
as Mazzaccaro jumped at the chance to return to Lincroft and his alma matter.
“100 percent CBA,” Mazzaccaro said when explaining the reason for turn-
my heart. It affected me in a positive way. I learned if you do the right thing,
work hard, good things happen. I’m proud of the CBA community.”
The school Mazzaccaro returned to was familiar but evolved.
“Faces have changed, but the mission is the same: academic excellence
and athletics for the kids,” the former Colt pointed out. “CBA is always improving,
trying to get better. It offers different classes and different sports since I
was there, and that is good to see.”
While CBA may have a special place in Mazzaccaro’s heart, his athletic
achievements while a distance runner for CBA left an indelible mark on those
legendary programs. The 2011 graduate was a two-time cross country
state champion and still holds the school record on Holmdel Park’s
5K course (15:20, which is sixth best all-time). He led CBA to Meet of
Champion titles and in his senior year was 15th at the Nike Cross Nationals
in Portland, Oregon. On the track, he anchored CBA to victory at
the prestigious Penn Relays in the High School Distance Medley Relay.
Mazzaccaro went on to compete for Princeton University where he
Settling in as a teacher of world history and advanced placement
US history while assisting the track and cross country teams, another
career surprise came Mazzaccaro’s way. CBA Athletic Director Vito
Chiaravalloti stepped down this summer, leaving that position vacant.
Mazzaccaro applied for the position and in July was named CBA’s
new athletic director.
“I really enjoyed teaching and coaching,” he remarked. “I miss
the classroom tremendously. I couldn’t turn down the opportunity to
have a positive effect on the CBA community as an athletic director.
I’ve talked to all the coaches, and they’ve been really encouraging.”
Not many people would have jumped on the opportunity so fast
because of the pandemic that has threatened high school sports.
“The plan is to follow the state guidelines,” said Mazzaccaro.
In Chiaravalloti, Mazzaccaro had the perfect mentor. Before resigning,
Chiaravalloti was on the NJSIAA’s Sports Advisory Task Force.
“It’s hard to point out how lucky I am,” Mazzaccaro explained.
“Vito and I had two weeks together where he walked me through everything.
I couldn’t ask for a better guide.”
Mazzaccaro has stayed on as assistant cross country coach, and
he knows the impact that the pandemic has had on the harriers. He’s
pleased they will have a limited season after all. He’s amazed, he said,
by the work the Colt runners have put in, training just as hard as if
they would for a full season. After all, success is a tradition at Christian
Brothers Academy, a foundation put down by those, like Mazzaccaro,
who preceded them.
It was his experiences competing at the highest level of high
school and college sports that Mazzaccaro can pass on to the Colts
student-athletes.
“I was hurt a lot in college and learned the highs and lows of
sports,” noted Mazzaccaro. “You don’t take it for granted. The good times
take care of themselves. You have to be there for them when it’s not.”
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