March 16, 2007
PHILADELPHIA, PA - On Thursday, March 16th at the Knights of Columbus in Glenside, Explorers' offensive line coach Mark Zataveski was inducted into the McDevitt Athletic Hall of Fame. Most people would think that Coach Zataveski would be getting inducted as a football player (Coach Zataveski started for 3 years for the University of Notre Dame and was an Academic All American). On this night, however, Zataveski was being honored as a basketball player. As several former coaches of Coach Zataveski's spoke about his physical and emotional dominance of his opponents on the basketball court, it was his ability to be a great teammate that stood out. It was not unusual for Coach to score 25 points and have 25 rebounds in the same game. He was offered scholarships to play college basketball, but chose to attend Notre Dame as a football player. He was known for his intensity, desire to win and the ability to be a great teammate.
Zataveski was the first individual in McDevitt history to be inducted into the Hall of Fame for 2 sports (football and basketball). His dominant demeanor is still talked about in the Philadelphia community. The Explorer coaches and players quickly noticed the intensity that Coach brings to the field. Coach Miller, however, was not surprised by the intensity that Zataveski brings to practice on a daily basis. "Coach Z and I have coached together in the past. Often when you have a great player, they don't always translate into a great coach. Mark was a great player and is a great coach. The most important thing is that he's a loyal friend and great individual," stated Miller. "We know in order to be successful here in football, we must get tougher. Coach Zataveski instills toughness with his coaching style. Through the course of last season, our inexperienced offensive line started to grasp this toughness."
After the 2005 season, La Salle graduated 4 players on the offensive line that had started all 4 years. In 2006, La Salle had several freshmen play on the line. Although the Explorer's lose Zach Greaver to graduation, the rest of the offensive line returns. Coach Zataveski has been a major help in the recruiting process identifying talented young lineman. The Explorers have been fortunate to sign offensive linemen that they believe will come in and compete for playing time immediately.
Coach Zataveski has been successful through his playing days at McDevit and Notre Dame. His success came because of hard work, intensity, a desire to win and talent. With his guidance, the future is bright on the line of scrimmage for the Explorers.
