Rose Marie Battaglia facts for kids
Rose Marie Battaglia (born 1929 – died November 24, 2020) was a very successful American basketball coach. She coached both high school and college teams for many years. She stopped coaching in 1989. In 2018, she was honored by being added to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.
Her Early Life and Education
Rose Marie Battaglia went to the Panzer School of Physical Education. This school later joined with Montclair State University. It became Montclair State Teacher College in 1958. She graduated from Montclair State in 1966.
After that, she continued her studies at the University of Utah. There, she earned her PhD degree. While she was studying for her PhD, she stopped teaching physical education classes. However, she still worked to share her love for basketball. She taught others how to play the game. She also ran her own special basketball training sessions.
Her Amazing Coaching Career
Rose Marie Battaglia started her coaching journey at Paramus Catholic High School in New Jersey. While coaching there, her teams won 274 games! She also led them to win two state championships in a row.
While she was coaching at Paramus Catholic, she also coached at Bergen Community College. This college was right across the street. Between Bergen Community College and Iona College, she achieved an amazing 702 victories at the college level. She also coached at St Michael's in Union City and Benedictine Academy in Elizabeth.
Her Lasting Legacy and Awards
Rose Marie Battaglia left a big mark on basketball. She was honored many times for her hard work. In 1999, she was inducted into the NJCAA Hall of Fame. In 1996, she joined the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Hall of Fame.
In 1998, she received the WBCA Jostens-Berenson Lifetime Achievement Award. This award celebrates coaches who have had a long and successful career. In 2000, she was given the New Jersey Collegiate Basketball Coaches Association Lifetime Achievement Award.
Along with six other great basketball figures, Battaglia was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. This special event happened in June 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. This honor shows how important she was to women's basketball.
