Bill’s wrestling life began in September 1946 when he met Coach Frank “Sprig” Gardner as his freshman football coach.

“Gardner started recruiting for wrestling at that point and I was hooked.”

This is when Coach Gardner took some of the freshman football players into his office and wrestling room to view “The Wall of Champions.”

Every wrestler wanted to get his picture on that wall.

Bill had four years of wrestling under Coach Gardner and wrestled varsity his junior and senior years. In those two years, he only lost two matches.

After graduating high school, Bill attended Hofstra College for one year and wrestled on the Hofstra freshman team in the 145-pound weight class. He had a good year in wrestling with first place in the New York Metropolitan AAU at 145 pounds.

After his freshman year, Bill transferred from Hofstra to Millersville University in Pennsylvania. He wrestled varsity his second and third year at Millersville with only two loses. His losses came to Gus DeAugustino of Lock Haven, who became an NCAA Division I champion, and to his brother, Pat Zagarino, in the finals of the Pennsylvania State Teachers College tournament.

After graduation, his first stop back on Long Island was Coach Gardner’s office in search of a teaching position. Gardner telephoned Lonnie Kittle at Amityville High School. Amityville had an opening, so Bill went right to work teaching and coaching.

In 1956, Bill started officiating wrestling and from 1957-1980, officiated the high school leagues and Suffolk County Championships. During this time, he represented Suffolk County twice in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Wrestling Championships. He also acted as rules interpreter along with Bob Hartman. He later served as president of the Long Island Wrestling Officials Association.

Bill joined the Friends of Long Island Wrestling and became a board member. He was appointed chairman of the Hall of Fame Nominating Committee and has been an active supporter of that organization.

Within the business community of Bellmore, New York, Bill has been president of the Chamber of Commerce and the Bellmore Lions Club, zone chairman for the Lions, and a Melvin Jones Fellow for Lions International.

Bill married Ann Marie Friedel. They have two children, Patti Ann and Bill.