A Father's Love | Vassalotti Retires to Join Daughter's Battle with Cancer

As a teenager, Anna Vassalotti came to grips with the unsettling reality that her father would spend some long days and nights on the job.

It is the inevitable consequence of an English teacher who extends himself to become a successful high school football coach and athletic director. Joe Vassalotti seemingly had one foot on the practice field and the other planted firmly in the classroom while simultaneously juggling a few other duties in between.

Ultimately, family time was squeezed in between film study, game planning, lesson plans, and grading papers. Then, nearly 11 years ago, the Walsh Jesuit High School graduate took on the challenge of infusing energy into the Akron Public Schools athletic programs.

Again, time was of the essence.

Anna is older and circumstances have changed. She has become her father’s No.1 priority, in part, because of her courageous, ongoing battle with two forms of cancer – breast and lymphoma.

Vassalotti has spent countless hours on the Pennsylvania turnpike to lend emotional support to his now 32-year-old daughter as she undergoes a series of cancer treatments at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. While family has always been a priority, there is a heightened sense of urgency with the quality of time he spends with Anna.

As Anna prepares for her final two chemotherapy treatments before shifting to her breast cancer regimen, Vassalotti is shifting his focus, too. At 58, he is retiring from his role as APS Coordinator of Athletics.

It wasn’t necessarily a tough decision for Vassalotti. Instead, it was the inevitability of reclaiming the time lost diligently devoting invaluable sweat equity into time-consuming jobs that invariably demanded much family sacrifice.

“When Anna was diagnosed with cancer last spring it gave me pause for sure,” said Vassalotti, who led Tallmadge High School to several playoff appearances as its head coach. “I was thinking about retirement, but this was the final straw that pushed me into retirement.

“She is getting along well. She was initially diagnosed with breast cancer, but when they did a full scan they found lymphoma.

“Her mom and I are extremely proud of her because she is handling it with such grace and bravery,” Vassalotti added. “She is showing a lot of strength and courage through the whole process.”

Vassalotti, who is scheduled to retire Dec. 30, has come to grips with his reality, too – that so much of life is out of his control. It’s something he constantly reminded his athletes and students during his more than 34 years as an educator.

However, he has his hands firmly on the wheel when it comes to Anna. If nothing else, he has become the master of his time.

“First, you learn what’s within your control and what isn’t,” he said emphatically. “It’s kind of a helpless feeling to watch your child go through something like this. Ideally, you want to take from them and give it to yourself if you could. 

“So, that’s been a lesson learned. If you are a person of faith, then you put your faith in a higher power, and support your child as best you can. That’s what we (her mom, husband Vinny, brother Joseph, and both extended families) have tried to do.

“Again, as I always told my players, control what you can. You can’t control the officials, or the weather or whatever is outside of your control. But you can certainly control your effort and attitude. We’re proud of Anna for doing just that in her fight against cancer.”

Vassalotti helped APS reach many of its goals. It’s an accomplishment that didn’t come without some personal sacrifice. 

“I’ve relearned the priorities in life,” he said. “And family and faith top that list.  All of that has factored into my decision to retire from this job. There were some long nights, days and weekends in a large district such as Akron’s. I’ll have more time for my family now.”

Admittedly, it’s been difficult for Vassalotti to imagine life without serving in his current position with APS. After all, he was driven to ensure the district’s athletic programs continued to move forward.

There were wins and losses. 

The Buchtel boys basketball team captured a state title in 2023. He helped usher in the APS Athletics Hall of Fame, which generates lively discussions and debate, thus thrusting the district’s greatest athletes in the spotlight.

“We’ve received positive feedback from the hall of fame, which started in 2022,” he said. “It’s been gratifying for me personally. It’s giving the current coaches and athletes an opportunity to reflect on the history of the City Series.

“It’s easy to live in the moment. There is a long history of success in the City Series. We have a lot of athletes and coaches who are worthy of induction. I’m pleased with where we are headed.”

More impressively, Vassalotti played a significant role in emphasizing leadership qualities among APS student-athletes, particularly with Love Akron. It’s a program in which 24 athletes from each school participate with the support of the University of Akron.

Still, the district is looking to regain its competitive footing in the major sports, including football. A resurgent East CLC program is a glimmer of hope that the future is looking bright.

Also, the six traditional high schools are trending in the right direction in providing upgraded facilities, which is pivotal in narrowing the competitive gap among surrounding districts. The improvements include new track surfaces at Firestone, Ellet and Buchtel; and a renovated fieldhouse at Ellet.

While there are expectations of winning state championships, the primary focus among most schools is conquering the City Series 

“It’s both admirable and tough that our teams and fans prioritize winning the City Series,” Vassalotti said. “I think sometimes there is a letdown in competing in state tournaments after so much focus is on our league schedule and championship.

“The highlight for us since I've been here is Buchtel winning the state championship in basketball. That was amazing support for the Buchtel community; it’s an example of what more of our teams would like to accomplish. 

“There is a mentality that the City is it. It is a continuous challenge to compete in OHSAA tournaments – like the playoff run by East this past season to get to the Sweet 16 in football.”

Vassalotti, who previously served as Norton High School’s  athletic director, focused on hiring top-flight coaches, particularly football.  There were more than 30 applicants for the Firestone job.

“First of all we have to adhere to the union contract,” he said, “but the selling point is we have a tremendous amount of football players with (NCAA) Division 1 talents. The challenge for us to attract better candidates has been to improve our facilities.”

Currently, only three schools (Buchtel, Garfield and Ellet) have home fields. The expected $12 million cuts could stall some proposed projects, but Vassalotti is confident student-athletes won’t be significantly affected.

“Whatver cuts that are going to be made, I hope they aren’t significant to the detriment of our student-athletes,” he said. “Ultimately, they are going to affect our teams. Those discussions are going on right now.”

Still, much progress was made during Vassalotti’s tenure.

“I’m grateful for all the coaches and ADs and student-athletes I’ve worked with,” he said. “There have been challenges, of course, with changes of leadership at the top. Things seem to have stabilized with (Superintendent) Mary (Outley), and that’s encouraging for the immediate future.

“Sometimes, it feels like you’re putting out fires that pop up unexpectedly. Yet, it’s been a wonderful experience. Now, it’s time to downshift. It’s time to seek a better work-life balance.”

Joe Vassalotti – At a glance

Age: 58

High school: Walsh Jesuit

College: Miami University (Ohio):  B.A. English,   Kent State University:  M.A.T. Secondary Education/English,  M.A. Literature,  Ed.S. Secondary Educational Administration

Teacher: English teacher for 24 years; adjunct professor at University of Akron 8 years

Administrator: Athletic Director at Norton High School (1995-98),  Akron Public Schools (2015 to current)

English Teacher/Head Football Coach:  Norton (1995-98), Brush (1998-99), Kent Roosevelt (1999-2002), Tallmadge (2002-2015)