Vandalia Rotary Meets New Basketball Coach Vanzo

(from left) Rotarian Steve Stombaugh, Vandalia High School Basketball Coach Joe Vanzo, President Tyler Osborne

Joe Vanzo, the new Vandalia High School basketball coach, was Rotarian Steve Stombaugh’s program for April 7, 2024. Coach Vanzo, a Hillsboro native, knew early in his life that he wanted to be a teacher. He attended Truman State University and graduated from SIUE. Coach Vanzo is in his 18th year as a coach which includes his years as head basketball coach at Hillsboro and 3 years as an assistant coach for VCHS. In addition to his coaching duties, he is the Assistant Principal at the Vandalia Elementary School. Joe enjoys watching college basketball. His favorite team is (surprise) the Illini. When asked about the prospects for this year’s team he said: “We have a lot of good competitors …and I hope they mesh as a team!” Coach encourages students to play as many sports as they can in their early years rather than specializing in just one and then burning out. He closed his remarks by saying that he wants to build a team that is adaptable and can play different styles.