Joe coached baseball, basketball, football and gymnastics at Stivers. In 1960, Joe managed the Stivers Summer League Baseball team that placed 3rd in the nation in the N A.B.F. Tourney in Altoona, PA. Twelve of his former basketball players were playing college ball at the same time.”Sully” was widely regarded as the top high school gymnastics coach in Ohio. Stivers teams won numerous team and individual, local and State titles from 1957-1967. After earning his Masters Degree in 1967, Joe joined the Physical Education staff at Xavier U. In 1973 he was promoted to Department Head, and after 25 years, earned the title of Professor Emeritus. Xaviers Human Performance Lab is dedicated to him. A bronze plaque reads: “Joseph Sullivan – who made a difference in the lives of young people in the Education Department during the years of 1967-1993 and for generations to come.”
Coach Sullivan had a huge impact on my life. He helped me find a job when I really needed it, get a chance to play college baseball, and most importantly, help me understand that everything we do in life has consequences.