Fresh out of Mansfield Teachers College in 1952, Zanowicz got his first taste of coaching wrestling under the later Tony DiTomo at Vineland high School. Zanowicz moved north to Scotch Plains High School and in addition to teaching math was asked to start the school's wrestling program. At the same time, he earned a Master's Degree from Seton Hall University and did graduate work at Rutgers. After a year as a club program, the school fielded its first varsity team in the 1957-58 season. He took a brief retirement from the sport after the first year to concentrate on being a head baseball coach, and assistant and later head coach in football, and becoming a father of five children - Edward, Len, Robert, Michael, and Michelle. All five went on to graduate from college, Zanowicz returned to become the head coach of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood wrestling team in 1973. Over the next 20 seasons, Zanowicz compiled a 201-77-4 record. His teams won four Watchung Conference titles (1981, '82, '83 and '84) and a district championship. Individually, Zanowicz had 21 Union County, 43 district, and 10 regional champions. He had 20 wrestlers qualify for the state tournament and four place winners. In addition to coaching the sport, Zanowicz was a charter member of the New Jersey Wrestling Officials Association and officiated on the varisty level for 10 years, including several district and regional assignments. He also served the NJWOA at state Secretary/Treasurer. Among the awards he received was being named a District Coach of the Year three times, recipient of the Pug Williams Union County Award, and induction into the New Jersey Coaches Hall of Fame. He is past president of the Union County Coaches Association and a member of the Union County Century Club. When it became known that he was stepping down as a head wrestling coach, opposing coaches were asked to describe Len Zanowicz. Those descriptions included dedicated, hard-working, good father, sense of humor and friendly, wonderful husband, competitor, knowledgeable, of high moral character, and good for wrestling. Coaches got an up-close look at Zanowicz when attending seeding meetings for the districts or regionals. As much as he respected and loved his wrestlers, his vote was always for the best and most deserving wrestler, no matter what school he represented. Few have ever coached or officiated wrestling, and the retired from the sport, with a better reputation as a coach, official or human being than Zanowicz, who was proud of the fact that he pushed academics as well as athletics.