The publication is reproduced in full below:
IN RECOGNITION OF JOSEPH COSTELLO ON HIS INDUCTION INTO THE LUZERNE
COUNTY SPORTS HALL OF FAME
______
HON. MATT CARTWRIGHT
of pennsylvania
in the house of representatives
Thursday, July 29, 2021
Mr. CARTWRIGHT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor former athlete, coach, and Northeastern Pennsylvania native Joseph Costello. Joseph will be inducted into the Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame in 2021 for his distinct athletic and coaching achievements in the sport of track and field. He and his fellow inductees will be honored at a reception on August 8, 2021.
Each year, the Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame honors those who have brought fame and recognition to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through their outstanding achievements and contributions in athletic endeavors.
Joseph was a standout athlete in football and track and field at West Pittston High School from 1957 to 1961. He was a two-time PIAA District II champion in the shotput. Joseph continued his academic career at the University of Scranton where he earned an undergraduate degree in education and a master's degree in administration. In 1966, he began his teaching, coaching, and administrative career at Pittston Area High School.
In 1970, Joseph founded the Pittston Area track and field program, beginning his legendary coaching career. He developed and built the program on the foundation of measured and thoughtful coaching while fostering a strong feeder system which resulted in hundreds of students participating in the program under his leadership. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Pittston Area Patriots dominated regional track and field. Between 1980 and 1983, the team won 55 consecutive meets, four consecutive Wyoming Valley Conference (WVC) League championships, four consecutive PIAA District II championships, and four Jordan Relay titles, in addition to setting district records and winning state medals. In 1983, the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader named him the first WVC Track Coach of the Year.
Some of the impressive records set by Joseph's athletes still stand today in PIAA District II, nearly four decades later. The Pittston Area 4 x 400 relay record of 3:23.44 set in 1981 by state medalists Ed Zaleski, Al Michalec, Vince O'Boyle, and Jack Goldowski still stands, as does the District II record in the 400 of 48.74 seconds set in 1982 by state medalist Vince O'Boyle and the District II 4 x 800 relay record of 8:00.84 set in 1981 by Mike Lombardo, Jay Loughney, Joe Bannon, and Bruce Marancik. Many of Joseph's star athletes went on to have impressive collegiate careers at institutions such as East Stroudsburg University, Bucknell University, and Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
In 1983, Joseph retired from coaching to serve as the assistant principal of Pittston Area High School, and in 1992, he was named principal, a position he held until his retirement in 1998. The effects of Joseph's coaching were felt in the years after his retirement during the 1984 and 1985 seasons as the Patriots went on to win 86 consecutive regular season WVC meets and six consecutive WVC and PIAA District II titles.
It is an honor to recognize Joseph on his induction into the Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame. May his story and coaching career serve as an inspiration to the next generation of Pennsylvania athletes and coaches striving for excellence.
____________________
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 133
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
House Representatives' salaries are historically higher than the median US income.
Alerts Sign-up