The Ward Melville Diary

About the Book

About the Author

After a schoolboy athletic career in Yonkers, NY, Joe Cuozzo attended Cortland State University, where he played football and lacrosse. Mr. Cuozzo trained for a career in physical education, and began teaching at Bay Shore High School on Long Island. After nine years Joe Cuozzo moved to a new high school in Setauket, NY, and in 1969 began the boys varsity lacrosse program at Ward Melville in competitive Suffolk County. Since those early days the Patriot lacrosse program has become one of the nation’s best. With an average season of eighteen wins and one loss, Cuozzo’s Ward Melville teams won seven New York State championships, 15 Long Island Championships, 31 County Championships and 32 Division championships. His Mount Sinai teams have won one state title and two county championships. Cuozzo is a Member of the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame, The National High School Coaches Hall of Fame, LI Metropolitan Hall of Fame, Cortland State Hall of Fame, Suffolk County Hall of Fame and was the National High School Athletics Association Sports Coach of The Year. Cuozzo coached the North Team in the first Under Armour All-American game in 2006. Joe Cuozzo has coached 54 High School All-Americans. Patriots are found on the rosters at Johns Hopkins, Maryland, Marist, Siena, Lehigh, Brown, Yale, Tufts, UMBC, Bucknell, Manhattan, Ursinus, Trinity, Roger Williams, Wesleyan and others. Drew Casino (Princeton), Chris Passavia (Maryland), Liam Banks (Syracuse) and Greg Cattrano (Brown) have been professional players. Cuozzo’s former assistants are now head coaches at high schools and colleges around the country. His teams are known for defense, conditioning, unselfish ball-movement, and come-from-behind victories in big games.