Get to know Pennsbury HS baseball coach Joe Pesci
FAIRLESS HILLS, Pa. — Longtime area resident Joe Pesci is the varsity baseball coach for Pennsbury High School. A 2000 PHS Graduate, he played both baseball and basketball all through high school, and after graduating, played baseball at Bloomsburg University. He came back to teach at Pennsbury in 2005 and has started his thirteenth season as head coach of the boys’ baseball team.
Since Joe became varsity head coach, he has accomplished many things including introducing youth baseball summer and winter camps and creating a baseball tournament for the middle schools. He also runs a successful local training facility that caters to many regional athletes and teams.
Mr. Pesci taught in the Pennsbury School District from 2005 to 2016 and currently teaches at New Hope Solebury High School. Though he now teaches in another district, he stays close to the Pennsbury athletic department, and the high school itself, through coaching baseball, announcing the high school football games and getting involved in many other group events throughout the year.
“Pennsbury has some incredibly dedicated coaches that run year-round opportunities for their team including off-season open workouts, lifting, volunteer opportunities in the community, and team building events,” Joe tells us. “These coaches want to win for the school, the kids, and the community, There also is a strong local community behind the Pennsbury athletic programs,”
“There are a lot of opportunities for children to be involved in sports in our area and it is the feeder system Pennsbury athletic programs,” Joe explains. “Pennsbury has many coaches that get involved with these local organizations. It helps to develop the sense of community and builds Pennsbury’s athletics program.”
Joe loves living in this community and seeing youth players and families from his camps at community events, high school football games, etc. “It makes a huge impact on the players at that age when you remember them and engage with them,” says Joe. “And then they come up to the high school and become a player for you, it becomes a lifelong relationship, which is what coaching is about.”
Pesci is also very proud that Pennsbury won the 2017 State Championship in baseball. “This was accomplished by kids that really personify what program development is about,” he says. “It was such an amazing experience for all involved. It put Pennsbury’s program back on the map!”
“Pennsbury is the only school in Lower Bucks County to win a Baseball state title, the second school in Bucks County to win that title, and the first team since 1994 to win the elusive League, District, and State title in the same season,” says Joe.
“Another great moment for the Pennsbury athletic program was the field dedication ceremony for former coach Victor Napolitano, “Joe tells us. “This event brought the alumni, community, current team/families together to honor him and it was incredible. It was a moment that the Napolitano Family and our Pennsbury program will never forget. Ginnie Napolitano and her daughters are still involved with the Pennsbury program and give out an award at the annual banquet.”
Joe also thinks it’s amazing to see players make the commitment to go on to play in college. No matter what level it is, being able to continue to fulfill your dream and play the game as long as possible means so much. “Pennsbury High School Baseball has a great reputation with college coaches and they often seek out Pennsbury players because they know they are getting more than just a good ballplayer.”
He also relates as a high school basketball player. “Frank Sciolla had the most influence and the greatest impact on me… and I barely got any playing time,” he jokes. “I went from being a player on Frank’s team to being a colleague and a friend. He is the reason I wanted to become a coach and a teacher,”
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