A legendary wrestling coach who led the North Schuylkill Spartans, Joe Cesari Sr., passed away peacefully on October 8, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the age of 84.
It was his son who shared the exclusive news of his passing via his Facebook.
Joe Cesari Sr. is survived by his wife, Sandra Cesari, and their four children, three sons and a daughter.
His son, Joe Cesari, wrote:
Friends, it is with a heavy heart that we share that our dad, Joe Cesari Sr., passed away peacefully today in Las Vegas, with his sons Joe Cesari Jr., Steve Cesari, and Mark Cesari by his side. Please pray for my mom and sister and our family.
Joe Cesari
All of his sons have wrestled for North Schuylkill. Joe Jr. won three state titles with a 154-5-1 record, Steve won one state title with a 155-22-2 record, and Mark won two state titles with a 137-8 record.
Born in Kulpmont, Cesari Sr. grew up in a coal-mining family and was the first to attend college. He earned a degree from the University of Buffalo.
Not many of us might know, but he played linebacker on the football team during his time at the University of Buffalo.
Cesari started coaching in 1962 at Cuba Central High School in New York, where he coached wrestling, football, and track.
In 1964, with a degree in health and physical education, Cesari returned to Pennsylvania with his wife and year-old daughter, Lisa, to teach social studies and coach football in Ashland.
However, fate had different plans for him. Ashland Area High needed a wrestling team, and Cesari was asked to start one. Despite knowing nothing about the sport, Cesari began the wrestling program at Ashland Area High School in 1964.
Cesari took on the challenge, and in his spare time, he read all he could about technique. Later, he passed along his newfound knowledge the very next day in practice.
Eventually, his hard work and dedication paid off. He turned North Schuylkill into a wrestling powerhouse, winning 19 league titles and eight District 11 championships.
At the time, basketball was a popular sport, and many doubted that wrestling would succeed. But Cesari proved them wrong.
Joe Cesari Sr. Led the North Schuylkill Spartans Wrestling Team For 23 Years!
During Cesari’s time with the team, they won two state championships, in 1983 and 1989, and had an impressive record of 357 wins, 31 losses, and 2 ties. This gave him the highest winning percentage (91.8%) in Pennsylvania high school wrestling history.
Under his leadership, North Schuylkill won 19 league titles, eight District 11 team championships, and five regional championships.
His teams were state runners-up in 1986 and 1988 and ranked among Pennsylvania’s top five programs for nearly a decade.
Eight of his seasons were undefeated, including the 1983 team that finished 27-0 and won the state dual meet title.
Cesari’s success earned national attention, with a four-page feature in Sports Illustrated in January 1989 titled “Gold Amid the Coal.”
He coached 10 individual state champions, including his three sons.
Eventually, his achievements earned him several honors.
Cesari was named National High School Coach of the Year twice, Pennsylvania Coach of the Year four times, and District 11 Coach of the Year eight times.
Likewise, he was inducted into the Schuylkill County Hall of Fame in 1982, the District 11 Hall of Fame in 1987, the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1991, and the National High School Sports Hall of Fame in 1992.
Not to forget, Cesari also received the National Wrestling Hall of Fame’s Lifetime Service to Wrestling Award in 1996.
In 2015, North Schuylkill dedicated its gymnasium to Cesari and girls’ basketball coach Lafay Hope.
Besides wrestling, Cesari was a dedicated educator. He taught physical education, social studies, and science for over 20 years.
While maintaining his teaching certification at Bucknell University, he earned a master’s degree in administration.
He served as assistant superintendent at North Schuylkill in the early 1980s. Later, he became superintendent at Williams Valley School District and then returned to North Schuylkill as assistant principal.
Similarly, Cesari also ran Cesari’s Italian-American Restaurant in Ashland, known for its chicken parmigiana.
In his hometown of Kulpmont, Cesari was a community leader. For 23 years, he was president of the Kulpmont Cruise Association.
Cesari retired in the mid-1990s, leaving a legacy in Ashland.
During this difficult time, we pray for the strength of Cesari’s wife, kids, and extended family.
Rest Easy, Coach Joe Cesari Sr.!
