Rec Sports

A Life: Joseph Shattie ‘just loved being around people’

Published

3 days ago

December 29, 2025

HARTFORD — Some people have no business coaching youth sports. Then there are those like Joseph Shattie who seemed to have been born for the role.

A standout athlete at Rice Memorial High School in Burlington and a Division I baseball player in college, Shattie certainly knew the game of baseball. He would later learn to ice skate and coach hockey, while also officiating youth and high school games.

But coaching impressionable youths takes more than an understanding of the fundamentals and game strategies.

Joseph Shattie demonstrates a referee call to his youngest son, Bryce, 6, at Barwood Arena. Shattie, who died in June, learned to skate as an adult and also coached and officiated hockey. His decision to know about ice hockey started when his three sons were young and expressed an interest in skating. All three, Jason, Kellen and Bryce, played the sport. (Family photograph)

“He just had a way of connecting with kids,” said Bob Gaudet, a close friend and former longtime head coach of the Dartmouth men’s hockey team. “He was really respected. Joe was a big guy, but a Teddy Bear with a big smile. He had a way of communicating with the kids. He spoke to them at their level and made them feel comfortable.”

Shattie, who died June 23, at the age of 73 after a decades-long battle with heart disease, emphasized to his players what some might consider old school attributes such as doing the right thing, discipline and character.

“Joe was all about that stuff,” said Gaudet, who first met Shattie when their children played youth sports together in the 1990s. They stayed close over the years.

Sports were a thread that went through much of Shattie’s life.

He was born in Winooski, Vt. When he was just 3, his father died from an injury he had suffered during World War II and his mother moved him and his brother, Sam, to Florida to live with their aunt. He later returned to Vermont to finish high school at Rice and went on to play baseball at the University of Missouri.

His first career was in the bar and restaurant business in Burlington which led him and a friend to open Than Wheeler’s in White River Junction, which has since closed. It was there he met his future wife, who was playing in a women’s softball league at the time.

“It was my first summer playing and a friend on the team was celebrating her birthday so we went over there,” Cheryl Shattie recalled.

Joseph Shattie on a cruise with his wife, Cheryl, in 1996. Shattie, a longtime youth sports coach who died in June, was remembered for his big heart and big smile. (Family photograph)

The couple were married almost 47 years before Shattie’s death. Together, they raised three sons, Jason, Kellen and Bryce.

“I would watch them interact together and they had this special bond,” said Todd Bebeau, the Hartford High School boys hockey coach who worked with Shattie at the Quechee Golf Course for a couple of years. “I had so much respect for the love they shared.”

All three of the Shattie sons played sports and their dad often coached them.

“He was a firm believer in hard work and having fun,” said Bryce, who lives in East Hampton, Mass. “He thought you could be both competitive and a good sport. It was what we often talked about.”

Growing up in Florida, Shattie never learned how to skate, but when his children took an interest in skating and hockey, he decided to learn, which is not an easy task as an adult.

“It took a lot of courage to learn how to skate and learn the game of hockey,” Bebeau said. “But Joe did it because he wanted to be involved with his kids and the hockey community. Joe did things for all the right reasons. It is the type of father Joe was. If his kids were involved in something, he wanted to be fully engrossed in it.”

Shattie learned how to coach and referee hockey games, often traveling long distances after working his day job in Richmond, Vt., where he was a sales manager for Caterpillar equipment. Shattie joined Caterpillar after selling Than Wheelers. Despite the long drives every day to Richmond, Shattie maintained his commitment to his family and his children’s sports.

Joseph Shattie on vacation in Nantucket with his wife Cheryl in 2021. (Family photograph)

“He would drive 50 miles one way to work, drive 50 miles home and then hop in the car and drive us to where our sporting event was,” recalled his son, Kellen, who lives in White River Junction.

Even after his children had aged out of the recreation and high school sports scene, Shattie didn’t want to give up what he loved doing for the kids and his community.

“I said, ‘Why are we going all over the state of New Hampshire when we don’t even have a kid in any of this?’ ” Cheryl Shattie once asked her husband. “I just know how much he loved doing it.”

Shattie also was known for his easy-going temperament. Stephen DeFelice, Shattie’s neighbor whose son, Brad, played baseball with Shattie’s son, Bryce, remembers those qualities on display when Shattie was a hockey referee.

Some parents, who think their child is destined for the NHL, can get a little overzealous watching a game, DeFelice said.

“It was not uncommon for your neighbor to be hollering at you if you made a bad call,” DeFelice said. “It may not have been a bad call, but they thought it was. And Joe would just have this big grin on his face when people would holler at him.”

In addition to coaching, Shattie served on the Hartford Zoning Board of Adjustment and his work with the Rotary Club earned him the Paul Harris Fellow Award, the service organization’s highest award. Shattie also served on the Friends of Dartmouth Hockey, helping to raise money through events such as the annual golf tournament.

After retiring, Shattie, around the age of 70, took a job working at the driving range at the Quechee Golf Course and was soon known as the “Mayor of the Driving Range,” Cheryl Shattie said.

Bebeau, the Hartford hockey coach, has fond memories of his time with Shattie at the Quechee Golf Course, listening to his stories about his time on the road with Caterpillar.

“He didn’t need to work, but he just loved being around people,” Bebeau said. “He always had a big smile on his face and was a great storyteller. He was one of the most positive people I have known. People you talk to will tell you they were drawn to Joe because Joe was a quality human being.”

Health problems plagued Shattie beginning at age 40 when he suffered a heart attack that required stents. Ten years later, after another heart attack, Shattie had quadruple bypass surgery and finally, he had a third heart attack at age 66. Shattie’s many heart problems were hereditary and he worked hard, with an exercise routine and nutritious meals, to improve his health.

“Family was first for him and that was a big motivator,” Cheryl Shattie said.

Shattie, who was an avid birdwatcher who enjoyed their peaceful vacations in Upstate New York, knew he was lucky to survive his health scares and never took a day for granted, his son Kellen said.

“He really wanted to enjoy the time he had,” Kellen said.

Shattie used his own experience to help his neighbors, the DeFelices, when Dawn DeFelice had open heart surgery at the onset of COVID in 2020.

“Anytime my wife had a question, ‘Is this normal?’ or ‘Should this be happening?’ Joe had an answer,” Stephen DeFelice said. “He knew what she was going through and would call to check on her to be sure she was OK because we were isolated. Joe was a real godsend for us during that time.”

Gaudet began his remarks at a memorial service for Shattie by referring to a video of the Shatties filmed for Dartmouth Health. The couple talked about Shattie’s heart attacks and the care he received, hoping it would encourage others to pay closer attention to their health and not let the busy lives they lead prevent them from taking care of themselves.

Gaudet noted that Shattie began the video by saying, “Life is precious.”

It was a credo Shattie lived each day, Gaudet said at the memorial.

“All of us who knew Joe remember how uplifted we were in any encounter with him,” Gaudet said. “We miss him so much.”

Patrick O’Grady can be reached at pogclmt@gmail.com.

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Rec Sports

Proposed Wisconsin Complex Would Bring 155,000 Square Feet of Indoor Turf to Big Bend

Published

18 minutes ago

January 1, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Key Takeaways

Breck Athletic Complex would include 155,000 square feet of indoor turf for year-round baseball, soccer, and lacrosse training in southeastern Wisconsin
The 42-acre project features 20+ outdoor fields across baseball, softball, soccer, futsal, and lacrosse
National tournament operators have committed to 25-30 year lease agreements, according to the developer
SC Wave, a Milwaukee Wave-affiliated soccer club, is named as a key tenant seeking a permanent home
A public hearing is scheduled for Jan. 29 before the Big Bend Village Board and Plan Commission

Multi-Sport Destination Planned for Agricultural Land

A proposal to convert 42 acres of farmland in Big Bend, Wisconsin into a regional youth sports destination is advancing through the local approval process. Eric Weishaar, owner and developer of Breck Athletic Complex, presented plans to the Big Bend Plan Commission in November.

The project would require amending the village’s comprehensive plan to change the land designation from Medium Density Residential to Commercial. A joint public hearing between the Village Board and Plan Commission is set for Jan. 29 at 6 p.m. at Village Hall.

“This is going to be the first, really of its kind in the area. It’s going to be the biggest in the area, probably almost in the state,” Weishaar said during the November meeting.

Facility Breakdown and Phased Construction

The development would include six turf baseball fields, a championship baseball field with plaza seating, seven full-size soccer fields, three futsal fields, and four lacrosse fields. The 155,000-square-foot indoor facility would support year-round training across multiple sports.

Supporting amenities include concessions, restrooms, playgrounds, fitness trails, and plazas. The site plan also incorporates commercial outlots along Highway 164 for a craft bar/restaurant, banquet hall, hotel, gas station, and future retail.

Construction is planned across eight phases. Soccer fields would come first, with a potential opening as early as spring 2026 if ground breaks this coming spring. Baseball and softball fields are targeted for spring 2027 to give tournament operators lead time for scheduling.

Long-Term Tenants Already Committed

Weishaar told commissioners that national tournament operators have committed to lease agreements spanning 25 to 30 years. SC Wave, affiliated with the Milwaukee Wave professional soccer organization, is also identified as a key partner.

“They rent places, spaces from all over the place, and they really want to consolidate. They’re actually pretty anxious to announce in their club, hey everybody, we’re going to have a permanent home,” Weishaar said.

The complex is expected to draw teams from outside Wisconsin for weekend-long tournaments, creating demand for nearby lodging and dining.

Community Compatibility a Focus

Developers emphasized that the facility would use modern LED field lighting designed to minimize light spill into nearby residential areas. Tournaments are expected to conclude by 10 or 11 p.m.

“This is not something that is going on all night,” Weishaar said.

The project still requires zoning and site plan approvals. Developers have asked local officials whether the review process can be expedited to meet tenant timelines.

If approved, Breck Athletic Complex would join a growing list of large-scale youth sports facilities positioning themselves as regional tournament destinations. The combination of indoor and outdoor capacity, long-term operator commitments, and adjacent commercial development reflects a model increasingly favored by developers seeking year-round revenue streams.

via: GM Today

photo: Courtesy of Village of Big Bend

YSBR provides this content on an “as is” basis without any warranties, express or implied. We do not assume responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, legality, reliability, or use of the information, including any images, videos, or licenses associated with this article. For any concerns, including copyright issues or complaints, please contact YSBR directly.

About Youth Sports Business Report

Youth Sports Business Report is the largest and most trusted source for youth sports industry news, insights, and analysis covering the $54 billion youth sports market. Trusted by over 50,000 followers including industry executives, investors, youth sports parents and sports business professionals, we are the premier destination for comprehensive youth sports business intelligence.

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Sports sponsorship and institutional capital (Private Equity, Venture Capital)
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Whether you’re a sports industry executive, institutional investor, youth sports parent, coach, or sports business enthusiast, Youth Sports Business Report is your most reliable source for the actionable sports business insights you need to stay ahead of youth athletics trends and make informed decisions in the rapidly evolving youth sports landscape.

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Are you a brand looking to tap into the world’s most passionate fanbase… youth sports?

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About Play Up Partners

Play Up Partners is a leading youth sports marketing agency connecting brands with the power of youth sports. We specialize in youth sports sponsorships, partnerships, and activations that drive measurable results.

Why Sponsor Youth Sports?

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What Does Play Up Partners Do?

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We’re positioning youth sports as the most desirable and effective platform in sports marketing. Our mission is simple: MAKE YOUTH SPORTS BETTER for athletes, families, organizations, and brand partners.

Common Questions About Youth Sports Marketing

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We have answers. Reach out to info@playuppartners.com to learn how Play Up Partners can help your brand navigate the youth sports landscape.

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Rec Sports

PV girls’ basketball hosts first annual toy drive event on campus

Published

27 minutes ago

January 1, 2026

Your Sports Nation

PAJ2553 PV hosts toy drive - web-10 — Dozens of elementary school students pose with their new toys they selected during the First Annual Toy Drive event organized by Pajaro Valley High’s ASB student body and girls’ basketball team inside the gymnasium on campus in Watsonville on Tuesday, Dec. 23. (Raul Ebio/The Pajaronian)

A little more than 100 Pajaro Valley Unified School District students received an early Christmas present at Pajaro Valley High’s first annual toy drive event on Dec. 23.

Children from H.A. Hyde, Ohlone and Hall District elementary schools got a chance to pick from an assortment of toys inside the gymnasium prior to the varsity girls’ basketball game against North Monterey County.

The youngsters also got a special visit from Santa Claus and Little Santa Claus, who spoke to the group prior to making their way to the newly packaged basketballs, board games, backpacks and stuffed animals.

“My mission is to not just coach basketball, but help young people and help families through a difficult time during Christmas,” Pajaro Valley girls’ basketball head coach Darren Jackson said. “For most families, it’s difficult for them to go out and purchase gifts. It was an awesome turnout.”

It’s been nearly a decade since Jackson began the toy drive tradition with his wife Melissa, a teacher at Sherwood Elementary in Salinas.

“[Melissa] was telling me there’s a lot of kids that’s struggling, and there’s a lot of homeless kids out there,” Jackson said. “So, she inspired me through her job.”

Jackson spent 24 years at North Salinas High before taking the helm at Pajaro Valley in September. The Grizzlies’ first-year head coach said he was hoping to keep the tradition alive in Watsonville.

Jackson and the girls’ basketball team were dished an assist from PV High Activities Director Julie Brusa.

Brusa and ASB student body members stepped in by helping collect dozens of donations, including 25 bicycles given out through a raffle.

“[Brusa and the ASB student body] played a role,” Jackson said. “It was a girls’ basketball function but we turned it into a school function.”

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Rec Sports

UNA announces National Girls and Women in Sports Day Clinic for January 31

Published

2 hours ago

December 31, 2025

Your Sports Nation

FLORENCE, Ala. (December 30, 2025) – For a second straight year, the University of North Alabama Department of Athletics will host a free youth clinic to celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day on Saturday, January 31 from 10 a.m. to noon at the UNA Rec Center.

The free clinic is sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama and is open to ages 4-12.

“Hosting our second annual National Girls & Women in Sports Day clinic reflects our commitment to empowering girls through athletics,” said Debbie Williams, UNA Associate Athletic Director for Business Affairs and Senior Woman Administrator. “After welcoming over 100 young girls last year, we are excited to continue growing this event by giving our female student-athletes the opportunity to inspire confidence, demonstrate leadership and highlight the positive impact of sports both on and off the field.”

All of UNA’s women’s sports programs, including student-athletes and coaches, will be involved in the camp. This includes women’s basketball, beach volleyball, indoor volleyball, cheer and dance, cross country, women’s golf, soccer, softball and women’s tennis.

Following this event, the UNA women’s basketball team will host FGCU at 6 p.m. inside CB&S Bank Arena. The NGWSD celebration will continue during the game. This game will also serve as Youth Sports Night.

NGWSD is an initiative created by the Women’s Sports Foundation. The annual observance is the first Wednesday of February during National Signing Day.

To register, click here.

For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Rec Sports

Former Obama estate was priciest home sold in Mass. in 2025

Published

2 hours ago

December 31, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Luxury Homes

These are the three most expensive homes sold in Massachusetts in 2025, according to MLS and Zillow data.

Blue Heron Farm on Martha’s Vineyard. Evan Joseph Studios

The saying goes “money talks, wealth whispers,” but the eye-popping homes — complete with eye-popping price tags — behind the biggest residential real estate transactions across Massachusetts in 2025 are talkers.

At a time when the $925,000 median sales price for a single-family home in Greater Boston already seems out of reach for many, this top trio is in a mortgage payment (or cash offer) league of their own.

As for the locations, the neighborhood backdrop to these transactions isn’t shocking: Martha’s Vineyard, Boston’s Back Bay, and Nantucket rule the roost. Here are the three priciest home sales in the Bay State in 2025, according to MLS and Zillow data.

Blue Heron Farm features a tennis court, pool, and a private beach. – Evan Joseph Studios

Price: $37,000,000

Sold: July 10, 2025

The crown jewel home of 2025 came with a presidential seal of approval alongside its $37 million price tag. Blue Heron Farm in Chilmark, better known as the former Summer White House for the Obama family, officially claimed the year’s top spot. Spanning nearly 30 acres on Tisbury Great Pond, this compound is a self-contained ecosystem of luxury, featuring a 150-year-old barn relocated from Pennsylvania.

A spacious pool house was added by owner Norman Foster. – Evan Joseph Studios

Beyond eight bedrooms and a private beach, the ultimate flex is the Norman Foster-designed pool house — why shouldn’t your swim break come with ties to a Pritzker Prize-winning architect? Listed by Maggie Gold Seelig of MGS Group Real Estate, this sale confirms that privacy isn’t priceless — it can be acquired on the Vineyard for tens of millions of dollars.

59 Commonwealth Ave. sold for $21 million. – Nate Atwater, Atwater Media Productions

Price: $21,000,000

Sold: Nov. 24, 2025

If you’ve ever walked down the French boulevard-inspired stretch of Commonwealth Avenue in the Back Bay and wondered who owns those entire townhouses, the most up-to-date answer is the new owner of Number 59. Fetching a cool $21 million in November, this “sunny side” (aka the southern-facing stretch) stunner on the “Gold Coast” between Berkeley and Clarendon Streets defies the Back Bay trend of chopping grand estates into condos — remaining a glorious, 11,300-square-foot single-family monolith.

The interior of 59 Commonwealth Ave. in Boston. – Nate Atwater, Atwater Media Productions

With 8 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms (8 full and two half baths), elevator access to all floors, and an attached garage (a Back Bay rarity), it is the architectural equivalent of a unicorn. Also listed by Maggie Gold Seelig, who had a firm hand on eight-figure deals this year, this 1910 masterpiece includes a separate staff or guest apartment.

Price: $21,000,000

Sold: Jan. 7, 2025

Tying with our Back Bay entry for the silver medal at $21 million, this Nantucket compound proves that “The Cliff” is just as much its own tax bracket as it is a neighborhood. This restored 6-bedroom, 10-bathroom grand dame dating to 1908 was listed by Gary Winn of Maury People Sotheby’s and includes a separate guest house. The real showstopper, however, is the more-than-900-square-foot rooftop deck — allegedly the largest of any residential property on the island — offering 360-degree views that practically demand a champagne toast at sunset. Inside, the home features a secret study hidden behind a foyer panel, which is frankly the only rational place to hide when you have a full house of summer guests.

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Rec Sports

Plattsburgh YMCA highlights free youth sports program

Published

2 hours ago

December 31, 2025

Your Sports Nation

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (ABC22/FOX44) – The Plattsburgh YMCA on Monday said they were proud that City of Plattsburgh officials approved $50,000 in funding to continue its free youth sports program for another year.

“Every time a child steps onto the court or the field, they learn the value of teamwork while building confidence, resilience, and determination,” said Kris Tate, COO for the Plattsburgh YMCA. “When communities invest in youth sports, we see healthier, stronger young people.”

According to the YMCA, more than 700 kids participated in its sports programs in 2025, and more than half of those, over 400, were City of Plattsburgh residents.

Busy Plattsburgh intersection poised for overhaul

Under the terms of the funding, which was approved earlier this month, sports are free for City of Plattsburgh kids ages 12 and under.

The association offers sports including basketball and tee ball – the next program is indoor soccer, which will be held in the spring, with registration open to the community on January 9.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC22 & FOX44.

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Rec Sports

Game Notes: How Carson City can strengthen youth baseball without making noise

Published

2 hours ago

December 31, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Most of what shapes a kid doesn’t happen during the game.

It happens before the first pitch — when they’re putting on a jersey that fits, tightening their cleats, and slipping a glove onto their hand that feels like it belongs there. Those details seem small to adults. To a child, they’re everything.

In Carson City, as in every town, there are kids who want to play and families who do everything they can to make that happen. Registration gets paid. Schedules get rearranged. Rides get worked out. What doesn’t always fall into place is equipment — especially something as personal and essential as a glove.

That gap usually stays invisible. Quiet. Unspoken.

And that’s exactly why it matters.

A Simple Idea, Done the Right Way

The idea is not complicated: an annual glove drive for Carson City Little League.

Not a spectacle. Not a fundraiser built on attention. Just a dependable, once-a-year effort to make sure that kids who need a glove have one — without ever being asked to explain why.

No announcements. No labels. No moments a child carries with them longer than they should.

Handled discreetly by the league, supported by the community, and grounded in respect.

Why This Matters More Than It Sounds

A glove is more than leather and laces.

It’s confidence. It’s safety. It’s the difference between playing free and playing guarded. Between reaching for the ball and hoping it doesn’t come your way.

Kids feel those differences immediately. They also remember who noticed — and who didn’t.

Youth sports are supposed to be where kids learn how to belong. That lesson starts before a coach ever speaks.

This Isn’t Charity. It’s Stewardship.

This wouldn’t be about rescuing anyone. It would be about maintaining the field, in the broadest sense of the phrase.

Communities take care of their parks, their schools, their traditions. Youth sports deserve the same quiet upkeep. When we remove small barriers early, we prevent bigger ones later — loss of confidence, loss of interest, loss of belief that a place is meant for you.

That kind of care doesn’t require applause. It requires consistency.

Why Make It Annual

Because needs don’t announce themselves once and disappear.

Kids grow. Gloves wear down. Circumstances shift. An annual glove drive acknowledges that reality without judgment or urgency. It makes support part of the rhythm, not a reaction to crisis.

When something becomes routine, it becomes reliable. And reliability is what kids trust.

The Real Outcome

If this works the way it should, no one will talk about it much.

Kids will show up ready to play. Coaches will coach. Parents will watch. Baseball will happen.

And a few players — ones we’ll never identify, and don’t need to — will step onto the field feeling equal instead of exposed.

Those are the quiet things that let kids play.

And they’re worth doing right.

— Chris Graham is a Carson City native, writer and lifelong baseball fan. A former Western Nevada College play-by-play broadcaster, his work focuses on sports, culture and community. He can be followed on his Substack at https://substack.com/@gamenotes.

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