Mike Baldassin

Mike Baldassin, born on July 26, 1955 in Tacoma, went on to a professional football career before becoming a successful high school football coach in his hometown.

At Wilson High, Baldassin was team captain, Most Valuable Player, Most Inspirational and earned first team All-City honors as a football linebacker. He also played in the 1973 East-West Shrine All-Star Game. On the baseball field, he was a three-year letter winner, All-City third baseman in 1973 and a Pierce County All-Star Game participant. He is a member of the Wilson High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

Baldassin played football at the University of Washington where he was a team captain, Most Improved, Most Inspirational, earned four letters, and as a senior led the nation with 200 tackles. He currently ranks third in UW football history for tackles in a season and is sixth with 360 career tackles. He went on to play for the National Football League’s San Francisco 49ers from 1977-79 and was the special teams captain during the first two years.

After his playing career ended, Baldassin was a police officer in both Oakland and Seattle before becoming a teacher and coach. He has taught and coached football at Bellarmine Prep since 1992. As Bellarmine’s head coach from 1996-2002, he earned awards including 1996 National Football Foundation Coach of the Year for Pierce County, 2000 Tacoma News Tribune All-Area Coach of the Year, and 1997, 2000 and 2002 Narrows League Coach of the Year.