- November 22, 2024
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Anthony Campanella is returning home.
“Campy,” as he is known to hundreds of former colleagues and baseball players he’s coached over the years, will be the new athletic director at Seabreeze High School.
He spent 27 1/2 years at Seabreeze including 24 years as the head baseball coach before stepping down in 2017.
“I’m super excited,” he said. “Once a Sandcrab always a Sandcrab. It’s something new, but it’s nothing I’m unfamiliar with. Working with everybody in the community, the students, the parents, it’s going to be electric.”
Campanella was the assistant athletic director at Seabreeze for several years, working with longtime AD Jerry Chandler. As the head baseball coach, he led the Sandcrabs to seven district titles and 16 playoff appearances. His teams advanced to the state final four in 1999, 2001 and 2003. His 2001 team finished as the Class 4A state runner-up.
Campanella went on to coach at Flagler Palm Coast for four seasons, including three seasons as the Bulldogs' head coach. He was the head coach at Deltona High School for the past two years. He led the Wolves to the District 5-5A championship with a 17-2 win over Pine Ridge earlier this month.
In 29 seasons as a head baseball coach, Campanella compiled a record of 477-298.
Campanella said Seabreeze Principal Tucker Harris reached out to Deltona Principal Mike Micallef about the possibility of Campanella returning home.
Campanella said his job at Deltona as a teacher on assignment is funded by Title I money. Micallef, a Seabreeze graduate and one of Campanella’s former players, told Campanella that he couldn’t guarantee he’d have a job for his former coach next year.
“He said (Harris) might be looking for an AD, and this might be a good thing for you,” Campanella said. “I talked it over with Mr. Harris with the blessing of Mr. McCauliffe.”
Campanella is committed to coaching the Orlando Scorpions club baseball team this summer. He begins his new job on July 1. He replaces Brad Montgomery, who has been the Sandcrabs’ AD since 2018.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to come back to Seabreeze,” he said. “The timing was perfect. I started my career there and I want to end it there. I’m looking forward to working with the coaches and making Seabreeze the best it can be athletically and of course educationally. I’ll still be working with players and hoping to enrich their lives in a different capacity. It’s something that is different and new.”
