TAUNTON - Superintendent John Cabral reports that longtime Athletic Director Mark Ottavianelli will retire at the end of the 2023-2024 school year following a 22-year career with Taunton Public Schools.
“Mr. Ottavianeli is a great example of servant leadership as an Athletic Director,” Superintendent Cabral said. “He has set a very high standard for anyone who will follow him. As a leader, he has always stepped up and gone above and beyond what has been asked of him.”
Ottavianelli joined Taunton Public Schools as Athletic Director in 2002. In 2012, Ottavianelli moved Taunton to the Hockomock League from the Old Colony League, which ensured athletic programs' continued growth and development.
Under Ottavianelli’s leadership, Taunton has won nine team state championships and three individual state championships, the most recent two coming earlier this month in wrestling. He also contributed to major renovations in facilities, including the construction of the football stadium, tennis courts, baseball field, and softball field, scheduled to begin construction this spring, and the total renovation of the field house.
Ottavianelli also introduced the district's first unified sports program in 2018. This fall, Ottavianelli introduced an officiating course as an elective at the high school. The course is the first of its kind in the state, earning state, regional and national recognition. The program has already placed students as working officials in youth and sub-varsity games in the area.
Ottavianelli was also instrumental in bringing Governor Healey’s initiative to eradicate hate in sports to Taunton. He organized having Northeastern University’s Center for the Study of Sport in Society conduct a two-day professional development course for 25 coaches and a two-day student-athlete workshop for 25 student-athletes. Following the success of the original workshops, a second cohort is planned for this spring.
In addition, Ottavianelli worked closely with the New England Accreditation of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) to develop a standards-based approach to evaluating athletic programs that will ensure the continuation of high-quality, successful offerings. Ottavianelli, along with Superintendent Cabral, presented on this topic at the Massachusetts Association of School Committees and Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents conference in November of 2023. His work has resulted in a pilot program in Taunton scheduled to start this spring.
He was the Massachusetts Secondary Schools Athletic Directors Association (MSSADA) Theodore H Damko Award recipient for the 2005-2006 school year. In 2020, MSSADA honored Ottavianelli with the Distinguished Service Award Inside the Field of Athletic Administration. He was further honored in 2023 by MSSADA as the recipient of the Richard E. Lewis Award, which honors an ”individual who embodies the virtues of an outstanding, model athletic administrator.” He also served as the Hockomock League President from 2015-2016.
“As someone whose career spans more than 20 years, he has demonstrated that one can always learn,” Cabral said. “His time and dedication to Taunton Public Schools cannot be counted in hours and he was never afraid to step outside his comfort zone. His mark will be felt for generations to come."
Ottavianelli earned a Bachelor of Finance Degree from Southeastern Massachusetts University in 1987 and a Master's in Education Leadership from Bridgewater State University. Before joining Taunton, Ottavienlli served as athletic director at Coyle-Cassidy High School for two years and was a basketball coach at SMU, Community College in Rhode Island, and head basketball coach at Massasoit Community College.
Ottavianelli is looking forward to spending time with his family and at the beach in his retirement.