Indiana University of Pennsylvania Athletics

The trajectory of one’s life, so they say, begins in high school. That certainly held true for A.J. Ferrari, whose trajectory followed a path related to football.

After earning All-County, All-Conference, and All-WPIAL honors as a tackle on the Hempfield High School squad, Ferrari came to IUP and became a four-year starter. At his same familiar position, he was named “Tackle of the Decade” from 1960 to 1970. From there, he coached successful teams at Yough High School, Girard High School, Erie McDowell High School, and Edinboro University. Ferrari also coached wrestling at a number of those schools.

Today, Ferrari works in real estate, as well as, teaching and coaching. He serves on the board of directors of the Kahkwa Country Club and Commodore Hilton Head Yacht Club. After attending Hempfield High School, he earned a bachelor’s degree in geography from IUP in 1970, and a master’s degree from Penn State in 1976. He lives in Hilton Head Island, SC, with his wife, Kitty. They have four grown children, Charles, Pam, A.J., and Nina.