Mike Zedalis

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Mike was born in Freeland, PA and always had a passion for fishing and sports. After high school he was signed by the Boston Red Sox and spent a season of “A” ball with the Middletown, OH farm team. Before his second season Mike was drafted into WWII and sent to Brook Army Medical Center where he spent most of his time on a basketball court or baseball diamond. As a teammate of Doak Walker, they were champions of the Army’s SW conference. Mike then went to Loyola College in Baltimore, MD where he continued his athletic career and developed a love for history. In three seasons (’47-’49), Mike scored 1,138 points for the Greyhounds and was later drafted by the Baltimore Bullets. While playing the summer season with the Scranton Red Sox and before starting with the Bullets, Mike was again drafted into the Army and was sent to Fort Dix, NJ, where he met the love of his life and future wife, Phyllis Clark (deceased 2003). Mike was honored to teach and coach at Somerville High School. For over 30 years  he led the Pioneers to numerous championships. In 1968, Mike was named Coach of the Year by the NY Daily News after a 20-2 season. He said he was blessed with great kids who worked hard and “left everything on the court!” Mike also had success as baseball coach at Somerville, following in the footsteps of the legendary “Boomy” Malekoff. The Pioneers’ won the 1973 Somerset County Tournament, and Zedalis was named Coach of the Year. While Mike loved his time as a coach, his first love was really teaching and working with students. Mike’s favorite saying was, “I’m not a teacher, but an awakener”. Mike is a member of the Loyola College, Hazleton YMCA and Somerville High School Halls of Fame.