The Hawkeye (Jamestown Community College)

George Bataitis - A Man With A Heart

Around the PHED building there is a man who seems to move at a faster pace than most. He is Professor George Bataitis and physical fitness is his bag. Believing that physical fitness will help you feel better and add years to your life, this much appreciated teacher skips rope, jogs, and works our right along with his students.

More amazing than his attitude toward physical fitness is his enthusiasm about teaching physical education. Each and every student benefits from George’s instructional techniques. His personal attention to and contact with the student seem to work wonders. The student feels confidence in his performance as George offers his friendly assistance. He teaches classes ranging from weight lifting to golf and volleyball.

After many years of college teaching, Coach Bataitis hit a major obstacle in his career in 1976, cardiac bypass surgery, a very serious heart operation was performed on the coach. George came out of the surgery determined to recover 100%. After working his way up the ladder of fitness, he now maintains a strict schedule of 2000 rope skips a day along with two miles of running and 5 classes to teach.

Now in his twenty-third year of teaching physical education, George is presently Golf Coach here at JCC. “I really enjoy being with students and teaching them skills of athletic competition as well as caring for their bodies, says George, then adds, the nature of my work keeps me in great shape and makes me feel younger. I enjoy teaching all my classes.”


The additional financial assistance of the community is critical to the success of the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame.
We gratefully acknowledge these individuals and organizations for their generous support.