LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Joe Sposato upon the occasion of his
retirement after 36 years of distinguished service to Waterloo High
School on August 31, 2010

WHEREAS, New York State's commitment to education is unparalleled; its
history and stature are secured by the superlative caliber of its educa-
tional professionals and the students they inspire; and
WHEREAS, It is the practice of this Legislative Body to acknowledge
the significant milestones in the distinguished careers of outstanding
educational leaders whose dedication and achievements have been instru-
mental in developing character and academic excellence in the young
people of New York State; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Joe
Sposato, a dedicated teacher, coach and administrator, upon the occasion
of his retirement after 36 years of distinguished service to Waterloo
High School on Tuesday, August 31, 2010; and
WHEREAS, Joe Sposato spent his early years in Geneva, New York, until
his family moved to Waterloo, New York, when he was in the third grade;
as a young boy, he played Little League but never felt as though he was
a superb athlete; however, he was an avid sports fan and was determined
to find a role for himself in athletics; and
WHEREAS, While a fifth grade student, Joe Sposato met Bill Carey, the
Waterloo Baseball Coach, who agreed to allow Joe to keep the scorebook
at baseball games; he soon became the manager of the basketball team as
well and thus began a friendship between Joe and Bill that lasted half a
century; and
WHEREAS, Inspired and mentored by Bill Carey, Joe Sposato graduated
from Waterloo High School in 1970, and knew he was destined to become a
coach; and
WHEREAS, Upon earning his degree from SUNY Cortland, Joe Sposato
returned to Waterloo High School, this time as a member of the faculty
as a math instructor; in addition to his full-time teaching schedule, he
quickly spread himself throughout the athletic department, coaching and
helping in any way he could; and
WHEREAS, He started as the Indians' freshman-level basketball coach
and also was in charge of the school's summer basketball program; in
1980, he became the men's basketball coach and spent nearly two decades
teaching the sport he cared most deeply about; and
WHEREAS, Joe Sposato would also eventually coach the Waterloo girls
basketball team from 2002-2009, highlighted by a trip to the New York
State Class B championship game in 2005; and
WHEREAS, Joe Sposato also achieved great success while coaching the
Waterloo baseball team in the 1980s; the teams of that era earned an
astounding three sectional titles and six league titles; and
WHEREAS, In 1990, Joe Sposato became the Athletic Director of Waterloo
High School; in this capacity he became known and respected for his
exceptional organizational skills, a fair and consistent budgetary
system, and an awards system that proved to be very successful; and
WHEREAS, Under Joe Sposato's esteemed leadership, a brand new, state-
of-the-art high school was built which included a spacious field house,
basketball court and weight room; new outdoor playing surfaces were also
constructed, highlighted by a FieldTurf football field that is also used
for soccer, lacrosse and physical education classes; and
WHEREAS, The football stadium hosted its first game in September 2005,
a month before the facility was named in honor of New York Giants coach
Tom Coughlin; as it was being built, Joe Sposato regularly visited the

construction trailer to make sure nothing was forgotten; Coughlin Stadi-
um and the other new athletic venues are a huge part of Joe's enduring
legacy; and
WHEREAS, In addition to his Bachelor's degree from SUNY Cortland, Joe
Sposato also received his Master's degree from Elmira College and an
administrative certification from SUNY Cortland; and
WHEREAS, Joe Sposato was a member of the Section V Executive Committee
and served two years as its President; he also served as the Finger
Lakes High School Athletic Association's scheduling coordinator and its
boys basketball chairman; furthermore, he was a member of Waterloo's
Athletic Hall of Fame committee and the Waterloo State Softball Commit-
tee; and
WHEREAS, As Joe Sposato steps down as the school district's athletic
director, he will leave as one of the most influential figures in Seneca
County's sports history; and
WHEREAS, With him throughout have been his wife, Laura, and their two
sons, Mark and Joseph, all of whom feel privileged to be a part of his
life and rejoice in his achievements; and
WHEREAS, Educators like Joe Sposato provide a tremendous service to
the future of our state and nation, inspiring generations of young
people in their journeys and ensuring their success in their future
years; and
WHEREAS, Joe Sposato has clearly had an enduring impact on the youth
of Waterloo High School, as well as on the community-at-large, and
accordingly merits recognition and applause for his impressive dedi-
cation to others; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to commend the
efforts of those individuals who work to support our proud tradition of
public education by providing their skills and talents to our schools;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Joe Sposato upon the occasion of his retirement after 36 years of
distinguished service to Waterloo High School on August 31, 2010; and be
it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Joe Sposato.