Peter Mazzaferro’s name is synonymous with Bridgewater football.
Arriving on the Bears’ coaching staff after two winless seasons, Mazzaferro turned around the program and built a foundation on which current students excel.
Now, they throw touchdowns and recover fumbles on a field dedicated to the longtime coach and professor.
Named For
Peter Mazzaferro
The Backstory
Mazzaferro came to Bridgewater as assistant football coach in 1966 after meeting Head Coach Edward Swenson at a coaching clinic in the Catskills.
Just two years later, Mazzaferro succeeded Swenson as head coach. He would go on to achieve a 195-137-7 record over 36 seasons at the helm.
Mazzaferro, who also taught physical education, enjoyed shaping the future lawyers, doctors and other professionals who played for the Bears. He also liked coaching in Division III, where the business side of sports takes a back seat to athletes’ pure love of the game.
“Peter Mazzaferro is one of those folks who created the remarkable foundation here at Bridgewater State,” said President Frederick W. Clark Jr., ’83, adding: “His shadow is long. His impact is real and profound. It's a great legacy, and it's all around us."
Now in his 90s, Mazzaferro still follows the Bears and attended a pregame field dedication ceremony in 2023.
“It's a real honor to have your name on the field,” he said in advance of the dedication. “It'll be nice. I'm looking forward to it.”
Use Today
Located on the east side of campus near the Tinsley Center, Mazzaferro Field hosts football, soccer, field hockey and lacrosse games on a turf field. Spectators watch games from 1,600-seat bleachers built as part of major renovations in 2010. In 2020, the turf was replaced and the track surrounding the field resurfaced.
Material in this article comes from the story “A Lifelong Football Journey for Peter Mazzaferro” by Jim Fenton and the summer 1998 Bridgewater magazine article “Coach Mazzaferro Builds Character All While Loving the Game” by Paul Kandarian.