Schatzman was appointed head football coach at the Board of Education’s Feb. 27 meeting.
Members of the Washington Township Board of Education unanimously approved the appointment of Michael Schatzman as Washington Township High School head football coach at its Feb. 27 meeting. Schatzman, head junior varsity coach of the Minutemen since 2011 and head freshman coach in 2017, replaces Lamont Robinson, who posted a 2–8 record in 2017, following an 11-year stint by former coach Mark Wechter.
Schatzman, 28, joined the WTHS teaching ranks in health and physical education in 2015. He is 2014 graduate of Rowan University with a Bachelor of Science degree in health and exercise science. Schatzman is also a 2008 graduate of WTHS, where he was a varsity letter winner in both football, as a runningback, and baseball, as a third basemen, as well as team captain in both sports.
“After a thorough and comprehensive review of applicants and interested candidates, our varsity football head coach search committee was pleased to recommend Michael Schatzman to our Board of Education,” WTHS athletic director Kevin Murphy said. “Schatzman embodies the definition of Township Pride through his experiences as a youth athlete, a Minuteman student-athlete and a current WTHS teacher and coach. I am confident that Coach Schatzman will become a leader whose focus will be on the continued growth and development of our student-athletes in the classroom and on the field and who will cultivate and sustain successful relationships with our families, our local and school community and our proud football alumni.”
“As a lifelong member of the Washington Township community and an alumnus of WTHS, Mike’s commitment to our high school students and the football program runs deep,” WTHS principal Ann Moore said. “The best interest of his student-athletes will be his top priority. I look forward to the future of Minuteman Football under Coach Schatzman’s leadership.”
As assistant varsity coach with the Minutemen since 2001, Schatzman posted a 53–7 record as the WTHS junior varsity head coach from 2011 to 2016. He led the 2017 freshman team to an 8–0–2 record as the head coach. In addition to coaching multiple positions including running backs, wide receivers, defensive backs and the defensive line, Schatzman also contributed to other areas of the program through strength and conditioning, academic support and community relations.
Schatzman has served as an assistant coach with the WTHS baseball program under head coach Bill Alvaro since 2012, helping the Minutemen to three Olympic Conference Championships (2012, 2013, 2014) and the 2013 Diamond Classic Title.
A three-year letter winner in football at WTHS, Schatzman was a 2007 All-Olympic Conference, All-County and All-Group IV pick and was named the South Jersey Elite High School Player of the Year. A member of two Olympic Conference championship teams (2006, 2007) when he also earned the Tom Brown Memorial Pride Award, Schatzman was the 2008 WTHS Male Athlete of the Year.
Schatzman, a four-year letter winner in baseball, was a two-time All-Olympic Conference and All-County selection (2007, 2008) and a member of the school’s 2007 Group IV state championship team. He earned All-South Jersey and Star Ledger All-State nods as a senior and finished as one of three players in school history with 100 or more career hits — at 104.
Schatzman helped the Gloucester County College baseball squad to the 2010 NJCAA National Championship before transferring to Rowan University.
A Washington Township resident, Schatzman will marry his high school sweetheart, Giana Bowers, on June 16.
