Hawthorne athletic director previews seasons, coaches, booster support and event logistics

At a parent information night at Hawthorne High School, Athletic Director Art Mazaca outlined the district’s high school and middle‑school sports offerings, introduced coaching staff, and described event logistics and Booster Club support. He also reviewed senior banners, blackout week and several calendar dates parents should note.

The overview matters because the school’s seasonal offerings, travel and safety procedures affect participation, transportation and parent planning for hundreds of student athletes across fall, winter and spring seasons.

Mazaca said the high school fields varsity and junior varsity teams across multiple sports: fall football (varsity, JV), boys and girls soccer (varsity and potential JV depending on turnout), girls tennis (varsity with possible JV), girls volleyball (varsity and JV, with freshman program development), cheer (varsity and spirit squad), and middle‑school fall soccer limited to seventh and eighth graders. Winter sports include boys and girls basketball (varsity, JV, freshman where available), wrestling (varsity and JV, including girls participants), indoor track (varsity and JV), bowling (varsity and JV) and varsity cheer, which competes in conference and county championships. Spring sports listed were baseball, softball, boys lacrosse, outdoor track, golf and girls flag football (currently not a varsity sport at the school level). Mazaca said some JV status depends on participation numbers.

Mazaca introduced head coaches by sport name during the presentation; for example, he named Angelo Gounieri (football), Ryan McMahon (boys soccer and head boys basketball), Danielle Just (girls tennis), Meghan Carr (girls volleyball) and Greg Carter (wrestling). He emphasized the schools’ emphasis on student‑athlete academics and behavior: “You are a student first,” Mazaca said, describing minimum academic and attendance expectations for participation.

Booster Club president Bob Esquale described the club’s fundraising and expenditures, saying the group funds awards events, senior brunch scholarships, field equipment, a lightning detector, benches, signage and engraved pavers. Esquale asked for additional members and volunteer time rather than primarily money. Mazaca said the Booster Club is funding an athletic hall of fame planned for an inaugural class announcement in March and encouraged alumni participation.

Mazaca reviewed several operational items parents should note: schedules are posted on the school athletics webpage and parents can use a “notify me” option to receive immediate updates when games are rescheduled; the district buses student athletes to events and will not release students to caregivers at events without prior written/email notice copied to the coach and athletic director; student drivers are not permitted to drive themselves to events; senior banners cost $45 each (checks payable to Hawthorne Athletics) with a $20 late‑order surcharge if ordered after vendor deadlines; key dates include sports awards and the senior brunch (dates announced during the presentation); and blackout week — when no coach contact or practice is allowed — is scheduled for July 28 to August 3 in the upcoming year.

Mazaca also announced a summer weight‑room program for high school athletes running from June 23 through the week before blackout week, with four sign‑up slots per day and weekly sign‑up emails. He encouraged parents to meet coaches in breakout rooms after the presentation and to visit the Booster Club table in the cafeteria.

Mazaca asked parents to complete a district survey about potential changes to the athletic complex; he described the survey as exploratory and said it was not a decision but a way to gauge interest.