Pittsburgh, Pa. – Charles Bellisario, the athletic director at Deer Lakes High School, is the inaugural recipient of the Snap! Mobile Athletic Director of the Year award, as announced by the league on Monday morning to celebrate National Athletic Director Day.
 
Announced on Thursday, Nov. 7, the Snap! Mobile Athletic Director of the Year was voted on by parents, coaches, students, peers, and school administrators, with the winner receiving a $500 gift card for a weekend getaway. Bellisario received 20 percent of the 1,394 total nominations submitted across the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL). Testimonials on Bellisario focused on his unwavering dedication, hard work, and exceptional leadership within the Deer Lakes community, with some of those shown below:

“Chuck had dedicated his career to developing and maintaining a culture of positivity, fairness, and success in the Deer Lakes athletic department. As a lifetime member of the community, a former softball coach for 15 years, and a retired teacher from the district, I can unequivocally say that he has brought the most successful era of athletics to our district since the inception of the district. He encapsulates all the qualities of a first-class athletic director. I have worked firsthand with at least six athletic directors over my coaching career, and Charles has been by far the most responsive, supportive and insightful.”
 
“He does everything he can for all (Deer Lakes) sports. He raises money, he helps gets his athletes recruited, he keeps us up to date with new jerseys and equipment to perform at our best, new turf for all sports, and cares for each athlete as a person. If you go to his office, he will be there to talk as a person or as a coach or teacher. Mr. Bellisario does all this and more, all without an assistant.”
 
“Chuck goes above and beyond to ensure all students are included in the athletics programs. He has worked closely with our department to have a student with significant disabilities join the basketball team. When we were short-staffed and the student needed some to be at practice with him, Chuck spent his Christmas break in the gym to help. He goes to all high school sporting events, sets up for them at home, and cleans up at home afterwards. He has positive relationships with many students and families and has built an athletic program that is successful across multiple sports.”
 
“He is working 24/7 to ensure the athletes are successful and most importantly having fun. I’ve had meetings with him until 11 at night where he would ensure I was comfortable coaching, and creating game plans for the team moving forwards. The athletes adore him and appreciate how much he does for us. The environment he has created at Deer Lakes improves every year, even since I graduated a few years ago. The whole community is involved now and is excited for our athletics, which is all due to Chuck. He is the Deer Lakes spirit, and the reason we have been so successful in athletics.”
 
“Mr. Bellisario goes over and above working with all the Deer Lakes teams and coaches. He stays up to date on student-athletes ensuring that education is their primary focus. He works with each team’s boosters to help them succeed. He pushes work on into the evenings attending games as he can, coordinates scheduling of the gym, fields, and pool to ensure all the opportunity to practice. This also crosses over to ensuring our cheerleaders, marching band and color guard have the opportunity to practice. In the time since Mr. Bellisario has been athletic director at Deer Lakes, his impact is shown through a variety of WPIAL champions and PIAA championship finals. Through his multidisciplinary approach, steadfast commitment to the student-athlete, and unwavering dedication to his duties as athletic director, Mr. Bellisario continues to bring Deer Lakes athletics to the forefront of high school sports.”

Bellisario is in his 13th season as the athletic director at Deer Lakes, and under his guidance the Lancers have won five WPIAL team championships and claimed four Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) runner-up finishes. Deer Lakes captured the 2015 WPIAL softball crown in Class 2A, the 2020 and 2022 WPIAL boys’ soccer titles in Class 2A, and the 2023 and 2024 WPIAL boys’ basketball trophies in Class 3A, adding PIAA championship game appearances for softball in 2015, boys’ soccer in 2018 and 2020, and boys’ basketball in 2023.
 
About the WPIAL
Founded in 1906, the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) represents Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) District VII, which is one of the 12 districts governed by the Constitution and By-Laws of the PIAA. The WPIAL represents its member schools by promoting academics, the safety of participants, sportsmanship, citizenship, and lifelong values as the foundation of interscholastic athletics. The league holds championships for 27 different sports, and its member schools are made up of 10 state counties: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington, and Westmoreland.
 
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