Coach Santa-Donato has been coaching high school football since 1975. Before he began his coaching career, he earned eight Varsity Letters in Football, Baseball, and Gymnastics at Harrison High School. At Harrison he was a member of League Championship Football Teams in 1968 and 1969. He played four years of Football for Alfred University, and was a member of three League Championship teams and the Lambert Bowl winners of 1971 signifying the Number One Division III Football Team in the East. Following his college playing career he had a brief stint as a Graduate Assistant Coach at Albany State University in 1974.
He began his High School coaching career as Assistant Football Coach and Defensive Coordinator at Harrison High School from 1975 to 1985. He was Co-Head Coach at Harrison in 1984 where he was named as League Co-Coach-Of-The Year along with Co-Head Coach Steve Ciraco. He then moved to coordinate the defense at Valhalla High School in 1986 and 1987. He became the Defensive Coordinator for the White Plains High School Varsity Football Team in 1988. He was named Head Football Coach in 1992, and continued in that capacity until stepping down as Head Coach in 2005 to return to being an Assistant Coach at White Plains were he now coaches the offensive and defensive backs, the punt and punt return teams, manages the White Plains Football computerized data base and web page, and continues working in the college recruiting process for his players.
Coach Santa-Donato was honored as Section I Football Coach-Of-The-Year in 1995 and League AA-South Coach-Of-The-Year in 1993 & 1995. Coach Santa-Donato gained his 75th victory as Head Coach at White Plains High School on Thanksgiving Day 2003. He led his 2003 team to their 3rd straight Secton I Bowl appearance (School Record) and 2nd straight Section I Bowl victory (School Record). The 2003 team's 10-1 record was only the 2nd time in White Plains Varsity Football History that a Varsity Football Team won 10 games. Coach Santa-Donato has also coached the WPMS Women’s Basketball Team (1979-1992) and the WPMS Women’s Softball Team (1982-1994). He coached the JV Women’s Softball Team at Harrison HS from 1979-1981. He is currently in his 12th year as Assistant Track Coach at White Plains Middle School.
Coach Santa-Donato began his teaching career in 1976 substituting in the White Plains School District. He was hired as a Business Education Teacher at White Plains Middle School in 1978 and has been teaching there ever since. He became one of the first Business Teachers in the White Plains School District to teach using Computer Technology in 1984 and is today teaching Computer Applications For School & Life 7 at Highlands Middle School. He was also the Computer Operations Specialist for the White Plains High School Summer School Program from 1986 - 1998.
Coach Santa-Donato is a former member of the Technology Committee and was a Computer Resource Teacher (CRT) at White Plains Middle School from 1984 - 1999. He was instrumental in the planning, design and building of his current state-of-the-art computer classroom and has continually developed new curriculum throughout the years to link with standards set by the NYS Education Department. He continues to enhance and improve his teaching skills by taking additional computer technology courses. Coach Santa-Donato is featured in the 6th, 7th & 9th Editions of Who's Who Among America's Teachers. He was honored by the White Plains Schools for his more then 25 years of service to the School District on June 9, 2003.
Coach Santa-Donato has been married to his wife, Leanne, since 1983. Leanne is currently in her 8th year as a Teaching Assistant at George Washington Elementary School where she also coordinates the GW Cheerleading Club. Their three daughters, Marlee’ (19), Christa (17), & Brianne (15) all attend or attended the White Plains Public Schools and are currently active members of the Volleyball, Field Hockey, & Lacrosse teams. Marlee, a 2005 White Plains HS graduate and a former member of the Varsity Volleyball (Captain) and Lacrosse Teams is in her 2nd year in the Pace University Honor's Prgram where she is studying Elementary/Special Education.
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