Mazzie leaves Panther legacy

Johnston High School has lost a legend, teacher, coach and administrator who bleeds blue and white. Gary Mazzie has retired from his post as athletic director.

“The fact that Gary Mazzie is leaving Johnston High School leaves an incredible void for the athletic department and our student athletes. He never wanted to be in the forefront; he was always about the kids,” said longtime colleague and friend James Hopkins.

Hopkins, who coached basketball with Mazzie for 11 years, said it is a void that will not easily be filled for the Panthers.

“Whoever takes over has an incredibly large pair of shoes to fill. I’m not sure if anyone is capable of filling his shoes. Gary Mazzie did full-time-plus work for part-time pay,” he said.

Mazzie didn’t leave by choice, but has decided to spend more time with his family as he faces a terminal illness. On Jan. 9 of this year, Mazzie was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer.

The news, which Mazzie and his wife Lee kept quiet for some time, crushed the man who, Hopkins emphasized, is the Johnston High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

“Nobody else – it’s Gary Mazzie; both now and in the future,” he said.

Mazzie submitted an official letter of resignation several weeks ago, requesting that he retire as co-director of athletics effective March 31.

The resignation was accepted at Monday’s Johnston School Committee meeting and 22-year-old Johnston resident and Bishop Hendricken graduate David DelFino was appointed as Mazzie’s replacement. DelFino is also a physical education graduate of the University of Rhode Island.

Mazzie worked closely with Ed DiSimone as co-director of athletics, and said yesterday that he was disappointed that his replacement is not someone connected with the school. He was critical of the School Committee’s appointment, saying that he does not feel DelFino has “the qualifications I was looking for in a successor.”

Hopkins, who is a retired teacher and coach but an active member of the JHS Athletic Hall of Fame, said he hopes DelFino does not get overwhelmed by the position.

“The Johnston High School Athletic Department deserves the best quality candidate possible. Gary’s personality will be hard for anybody to follow – or even try to duplicate,” he said.

Regardless of who is coming into the position, Superintendent Dr. Bernard Di Lullo said he is deeply saddened that Mazzie’s health has forced him to retire.

“Gary Mazzie was such a dedicated professional,” DiLullo said. “Gary was a good guy; I give him credit, even after he found out about his condition, he stayed with it and worked.”

Mazzie, who also distinguished himself among the state’s top athletic administrators, left Rhode Island on Monday and drove to Florida.

“If I’ve only got that short of a time to live, I’m not going to work,” Mazzie said. “I want to enjoy my time with my wife and close friends.”

After spending some time traveling, Mazzie said he plans to return to Rhode Island and will continue to chair the JHS Athletic Hall of Fame Committee, which he founded three years ago.

Mazzie began what Hopkins called “an extraordinary career” in September of 1970 as a science and biology teacher at JHS following his graduation from Providence College. He retired from Johnston in June 1999 and went to Attleboro, Mass., to teach for an additional seven years.

When Panther Bob Smith died in 2009, Mazzie came back to JHS where he and DiSimone teamed up as co-directors of athletics. He served in that capacity until last month.

During his tenure at JHS, Mazzie founded the school’s golf program in 1980 and coached the Panthers until 1999. He also coached boys’ basketball with Hopkins, who said “he was an incredible part of the success we had in basketball; he kept me grounded, focused ... we were a pretty darn good team.”

As a golf coach, Hopkins said Mazzie came within one stroke of winning the state championship.

“That was just unheard of, especially since we competed against the high-powered private schools whose golfers enjoyed private country club memberships,” he said.

That success was mirrored, Hopkins said, in everything Mazzie did.

“People will never forget one of the finest teachers Johnston ever had. No one will ever forget what he gave to kids, his love for kids and his demand for all kids to be excellent students. In all the years since 1972 that I’ve known Gary, I’ve never heard a bad word said about Gary Mazzie. And that certainly speaks volumes,” he said.

Perhaps Mazzie’s shining moment was three years ago when he founded the JHS Athletic Hall of Fame and accompanying JHS Athletic Walk of Fame.

Mazzie says he has “lots and lots of great memories” of his days as a teacher, coach and athletic administrator.

“There are absolutely tons and tons of memories,” he said. “I enjoyed everything. I loved being a teacher; I loved watching kids grow and then come back as young and accomplished adults. It has been just a tremendous run ... 34 of the greatest years of my life.”