By BRIAN TORTELLA
Correspondent
On X @tortreports
Susan Massara entered uncharted territory.
After 11 years as a physical education teacher and coach at Woodstown High, one of the most respected coaches in the region decided it was time for a change in scenery.
In her time at the helm of Woodstown’s field hockey program from 2012 to 2022, Massara coached the Wolverines to five sectional titles, breaking a 36-year title drought with her first in 2014.
After climbing the coaching ladder and establishing Woodstown as a respectable field hockey program, Massara was ready to take on a new challenge.
“Every year I got a new set of kids that were ready to work,” Massara said of her time at Woodstown. “They never gave me excuses. The parents were great, the community was fantastic, and from all of that, we reap the benefits of that and we won a lot of good stuff. We had a lot of good memories at Woodstown.”
Now, she’s making an impact at Kingsway Regional.
“Opportunities opened up and life led me here,” she said.
Coaching field hockey and teaching physical education representing the Wolverines is all she had ever known.
The date was Nov. 3, 2022.
Woodstown fell, 4-2, to eventual state champion West Deptford in the sectional semifinal round, effectively ending her magical tenure as a faithful Woodstown “Woodie.”
With that, a new chapter was set to begin.
Enter Kingsway.
Kingsway Athletic Director June Cioffi, who previously served in the same position at Woodstown and hired Massara as the head field hockey coach there, played a key role in recruiting Massara to Kingsway as a physical education teacher.
Massara said she planned to coach for the Dragons at some point, but two questions remained: What and when?
But when Kingsway launched flag football — now one of the fastest growing female sports in the nation — in the spring of 2023, a hasty return to the sidelines seemed inevitable.
“Coach Massara was the perfect fit to lead the Dragons flag football program because she’s been a previous successful head coach at Woodstown, where I hired her as the field hockey coach,” Cioffi said. “She’s competitive, has fire in her belly, has great relationships with students and is a big proponent of female sports. She was the first person I thought of to start a new sport at Kingsway.”
Said Massara, “Ms. Cioffi’s a good relationship. She’s one of the best to do it. Having a good opportunity to work for her is always a bonus, so that was a perk in coming to Kingsway, for sure.”
It all happened just like that.
A coach who had years of experience in a sport where the objective is to strike a ball into a goal box with a hockey stick was now set to take on a different dynamic. At a brand new school. With players she wasn’t nearly as familiar or established with. No pressure, right?
“Any relationship or rapport with kids starts from scratch, so you have to be your authentic self and your kids will fold into your plan and buy into your program,” Massara, a 2004 Hammonton High and 2009 Rowan University graduate, said. “You can’t be anything but positive and just a good role model for these kids.”
She’s done just that, with plenty of on-the-field success along the way.
Kingsway finished 7-2-1 in that first season. Last year, the Dragons finished with an 11-1 record and captured the West Jersey Football League (WJFL) championship to cap off a historic season for female sports in New Jersey.
This season is the last that the sport will be in pilot mode. Flag football is set to officially become a sanctioned sport by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) next spring.
To start its third year under Massara, Kingsway notched a 19-0 divisional victory over Washington Township on Tuesday.
A key element she carried over with her from Woodstown? Winning.
However, the most admirable aspect about Massara is her uplifting character. In Massara’s eyes, winning means nothing in comparison to making an impact and setting her girls up for success in the future.
Just ask some of the people who have worked with or played under Massara:
Bryanna Roberts, former player (2016 Woodstown graduate) and Massara’s successor:
“Mass was exceptional. She truly loved every moment she was out on that field. She was an amazing coach, loyal friend, and I was lucky to have her as someone to look up to during my time in high school and even the years after. Anyone who played under Mass was truly so lucky to have someone who cared so much. I will forever treasure all memories and admire her dedication to the program. Field hockey was my favorite time of year in high school and I truly thank her for that.”
Alayna Reipen, current Kingsway senior committed to Eastern University for flag football:
“Massara is more than just our coach — she’s the glue to our team. Her positivity and support make us feel like we can take on anything. She really changed how I see the sport. At first, flag football was just something fun to do, but her coaching and the connection she built with me off the field gave me the drive for it. You can never not smile when you are around her, she always knows how to bring out the best in the girls. I truly believe she is the reason why I am committed and developed such a passion for the game. She not only taught me football but taught me how to be as a human and present myself. She truly is the best and couldn’t thank her enough for everything she has done.”
Mike Husni, current Kingsway assistant flag coach:
“I love Susie. From the bat, we hit it off. We really mesh well together. She’s a great person to be around. She loves the game, she loves coaching, she loves the girls. She builds such a great rapport with them. She really took me under her wing and she’s great for building a culture. She’s done a great job here, and she’s going to do a great job helping Erin (Bernat) coaching field hockey in the fall. It’s just a real honor to coach with her.”
John Adams, former Woodstown head football coach and current high school mathematics teacher:
“Coach Massara is an unbelievable teacher, coach and mentor. In her time at Woodstown, I got to witness first-hand the dedication she had, not only for our field hockey team, but for all Woodstown sports. She had the most school spirit out of anyone I have ever met and it was infectious. She made everyone feel like they could take on the world and win. Year after year her teams would be winning championships, but what was more impressive was the way in which they did it. Her players worked, respected everyone around them and always had a smile on their face. She got them to enjoy the game while playing at a high level. She has the unique ability to make it fun while also demanding perfection from her players. Kingsway got a good one.”
Just nine miles separate Kingsway Regional and Woodstown — but in reality — they are worlds apart. Kingsway has an enrollment of 1,984 students in grades 9-12, while Woodstown has more than 1,400 less with a modest 537 students.
Massara has taken on and embraced the change better than most would have — all while making the same impact on countless kids in the process.
She’ll be looking to add another title to her résumé as the flag football team looks to repeat as WJFL champions in June. On March 20, she was approved to be the next varsity assistant coach of Kingsway’s field hockey team.
The sidelines are where Susan Massara belongs, and it’s hard to keep her away from them.
“This sport is very up-and-coming,” she said. “I’m so excited to be a part of it from the ground up, building the sport into what it’s becoming. The girls are really embracing it and I think the state is getting behind it. I’m excited to see where it goes and I’m happy to be a part of it.
“The relationships with the kids,” she continued when asked what her favorite part about coaching is. “Building confidence in young women. Teaching them all kinds of stuff — just to be there for them. And the relationships off the field with fellow coaches and coaches of other teams. The community of sports is what I have grew up in. It’s what I love and it’s what anybody would be lucky to be a part of if that’s something they wish to do.”
Susan Massara by the Numbers:
Field Hockey: 163 wins, 54 loses, 15 ties.
Flag Football: 19-3-1.
