Dave Fiscella has just wiped the floor with another victim of his chess skills.
Keith Otterbein should have known better before trying to compete with Dave Fiscella on the chess board.
“I’ve heard that he is the best chess player around,” said Keith Otterbein. “He is the man, and he has mad skills.”
Even English teacher Peter Shaheen has tasted the sour nectar of defeat at the hands of Fiscella.
“He beats people in chess and he likes to talk trash,” jokes Shaheen. “He beat me, but I got rooked.”
Laughing, Fiscella sheds on light on the sportsmanship.
“I only talk trash against Shaheen, because he deserves it,” joked Fiscella. “I usually shake hands win or lose after a good game.”
Whether it was as a substitute teacher, or helping out at your respective sporting event, you’ve probably come across Dave Fiscella.
For 12 years, Fiscella, who is retired, has dedicated thousands of hours to students and athletes alike at Seaholm High School.
You may be asking yourself, why Seaholm? What made him decide to start helping out at our high school?
“Sports have been my life”, Fiscella said matter of factly. “I just love sports, I love what they teach, what they represent, I believe in sports.”
Fiscella love for athletics combined with a close vicinity to 2436 W Lincoln made for a perfect fit.
“It is very convenient for Judy and I, living so close to the school,” said Fiscella. “I just really enjoy helping out at the games and being around sports.”
And just like that, Fiscella became a common denominator at Seaholm sporting events.
That’s a lot of dedication. So what kept him going?
“I have always enjoyed the people at Seaholm,” said Fiscella. “It’s a lot of fun being around Seaholm, I mean, I always enjoy the Coaches and students here, and I also like meeting new people from other schools.”
Fiscella’s son, Tom, graduated from Seaholm in 1986, after starring in Seaholm’s production of “Fiddler on the Roof.”
“Tom is a working actor in Los Angeles,” said Fiscella in his classic New Jersey dialect. “Actually, he is currently reprising his role from ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ in Los Angeles right now.”
Actually, Tom Fiscella, although not an athlete, worked closely with the Seaholm athletic department long before his father.
Tom, who was into Forensics, acting, and communication, made several appearances as the “Mighty Maple” mascot, as well as announcing at the basketball games.
Fiscella’s trips to Tinseltown have brought him before some very famous people.
“We were on the beach in LA, and we ran into Michael Richards from ‘Seinfeld’,” said Fiscella. “I also have spoken to Steven Seagal there, which was interesting.”
Many Seaholm students, parents, and faculty are unaware of the extraordinary journey in sports that has brought Dave Fiscella, Seaholm’s biggest fan and helping hand, to where he is today.
“Sports have been my life”, Fiscella said matter of factly. “I just love’em.”
Growing up in New Jersey, Fiscella had a ball in his hand 24/7, and could be seen running around with childhood friend and college basketball icon, Dick Vitale.
“Dick was a close friend of mine,”said Fiscella. “We were like family in the Italian sort of way.”
Interestingly, an internet search on Fiscella brought up a result for a Rutherford, NJ little league team called the Jaycees.
Having an unbelievable memory, Fiscella remembered details about the team. “I remember playing with Brant Alier on that team. Brent went on to play professionally, for the Twins I believe. (Alyer enjoyed a seven year career with the Minnesota Twins.”
Fiscella, one of the most humble men you will ever meet, hesitantly admitted to an accomplishment that few high school athletes can say they accomplished.
“I was All-State in football and baseball,” said Fiscella, who was not crazy about that going in the article, which says something special about his character.
Moving on to The College of William & Mary in Virginia, he remained a three-sport athlete.
“I liked them all,” said Fiscella. “After my freshman year, I chose not to continue with football, even though I was originally recruited for that.”
Fiscella played four years of basketball and baseball for the Tribe.
When pressed for his true favorite, Fiscella admitted that he is a baseball player at heart.
“My best sport was baseball,” said Fiscella. “If I had to pick one, it would be baseball.”
His teammates agreed, as Fiscella was the captain of his college baseball team. Fiscella also has extensive experience coaching sports (he coached football, basketball, and tennis at Wayne State, while also teaching there.)
Even after his days as an athlete, Fiscella remained extremely physically active, having run 20 marathons, including seven Boston Marathons, which involve a 26.22 mile course.
“My first marathon was the Detroit Marathon in 1978,” said Fiscella, who still can be spotted jogging outside on 10 degree, snowy days in the winter. “My best time personally was the New York marathon in 1984.”
For a period of time, Fiscella also served as the Athletic Director at Country Day, experience that Seaholm athletic director Aaron Frank was thankful for.
“Between the coaching experience and actually being an athletic director, it was a great help to me having someone that knowledgeable helping out with so many sports when I first became the A.D. here,” said Frank. “He really recognizes the nuances of a game, and he will stop by my office the day after a game to talk about it, and he just really remembers what changes took place in a game, what the turning point was, that type of thing, it is really something.”
As a substitute teacher, Fiscella has been known to give a nickname to every student in the class when taking attendance.
“He gave a sports-nickname to everyone in our AP Psychology class,” said junior Jesse Frank. “He’s such a nice guy and probably the coolest sub that we’ve had.”
“He is awesome,” said Otterbein. “His announcing is legendary.”
Fiscella lives in Beverly Hills, and is married to his wife Judy, a teacher at Quarton Elementary School in Birmingham.
One of the most highspirited and passionate people you will find walking the halls at Seaholm, Dave Fiscella has a lived a live that embodies those characteristics, and he still does.
