Sachem Volleyball Coach To Be Inducted Into Suffolk Sports HOF

SMITHTOWN NY — Twenty people will be inducted into the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2020 and inductees will be honored at a ceremony in May. A Sachem North volleyball assistant coach will be among them.

Sachem volleyball coach and Hall of Famer-turned-motivational speaker and cancer-fighting advocate Matthew "Dezy" DiStefano is suffering from kidney cancer and using every moment he has to preach positive values and help other cancer fighters through his new organization, the "Dezy Strong Foundation." This Special Recognition inductee has dedicated his life to teaching and coaching. Now, he's fighting his ultimate battle in the most selfless way possible.

The induction ceremony will be held Tuesday, May 26, at Watermill Caterers in Smithtown. A dinner will begin at 6 p.m. followed by the induction at 7:30 p.m.

Chris Vaccaro, executive director of the organization, said it's a special year for the Suffolk Hall of Fame.

"We are celebrating a major anniversary, while honoring an all-star induction class," he said in a news release. "These are some of the finest individuals to represent not only Suffolk County, but their respective sports and organizations at-large."