Assistant Coach Scott Goodrich takes over as head coach
By: SPENCER GLEASON
Editor-in-Chief
STLCC Archers’ baseball head coach Tony Dattoli has resigned, effective immediately, as the head baseball coach after spending 11 seasons under the STLCC baseball programs. The change comes following Dattoli’s decision to spend more time with his family, according to Archers’ assistant coach Zach Graefser.
Dattoli remains in his position as the STLCC Physical Education chair and a P.E. instructor at Meramec.
Archers’ assistant coach Scott Goodrich will move into the head-coaching position and Graefser will continue his duties as assistant coach.
Dattoli, who joined the then Meramec Magic athletic coaching staff in the fall 2002, was 338-287-2 during his time with STLCC baseball. After the consolidation of STLCC athletics in July 2011, Dattoli kept the baseball head-coaching job. He was 278-231-2 with the Meramec Magic and 60-56 in his two seasons with the STLCC Archers.
In the 47 years that junior college baseball has been associated with Meramec, Dattoli’s 11 seasons gives him the second longest tenure, only to Ric Lessmann who started the program in 1967. Lessmann, a 1997 Meramec Magic Hall of Fame inductee, coached the now defunct Meramec Warriors from 1967-93. Todd Whaley took over the program in 1994, followed by Joe Swiderski in 1999.
In 2003, Dattoli became the fourth head coach in Meramec baseball history. In Dattloi’s first season, the Meramec Magic finished second in the Regions XVI Tournament. The following season, Dattoli had his first All-American — now St. Louis Cardinal third baseman, David Freese.
The 2006 season marked a personal best for Dattoli and his STLCC ball clubs. With a 46-17 record, the Magic finished first in their conference and won the Regions XVI Title. It was Meramec’s first regional title since 1996. Dattoli was named Region XVI Coach of the Year, as well as the American Baseball Coaches Association Regional Coach of the Year for NJCAA Division I.
Dattoli had eight seasons where his teams finished above .500. His .539 winning percentage ranks him third behind Lessmann (.752) and Whaley (.659).
Although Dattoli will no longer be the skipper of the STLCC Archers, he will still be a presence in the Meramec Athletic Department. Dattoli has a Bachelor of Science in Education from Harris-Stowe and a Master of Science from Webster Univeristy. He is married with seven sons.
