Playing for More: Angela’s Story of Grit, Growth & Giving Back

If you know, you know—that’s Angela Zampella’s unspoken motto. When you meet the Hoboken Recreation Department coach, you would never guess that she’s a former college basketball star and international professional player, who was named one of the greatest athletes to come from Hudson County by the Jersey Journal and was inducted into Hudson County’s Hall of Fame in 2022.

Most people who know her would describe her as “humble.” A small-town girl who was tough enough to keep up with the boys, kind enough to be a devoted daughter and sister, and talented enough to set records on nearly every team she played for—Angela is truly one of a kind. 

Growing Up in Hoboken

Angela’s grandparents, born in Italy, settled in Hoboken, where both of her parents, Fran and Louie Sr., were born and raised. Then came Louie and Angela, continuing the family’s deep-rooted connection to the city. Her love for Hoboken is undeniable.

A quintessential experience for a Hoboken kid  from that era was getting a call from your parents asking why you were on the other side of town instead of at the park. “If you were out doing something you weren’t supposed to do, somebody was going to hear about it. If it wasn’t your mom, your dad, your grandfather—maybe even a great-uncle who didn’t live in Hoboken—everybody was going to hear about it!” Yet, this was something you only truly appreciate when you’re older. “Those people took care of us and they watched over us. If we ever needed anything, we knew we could make a phone call, and they would be there to help you.”

Part of Hoboken’s charm is its unique blend of small-town warmth and big-city energy. One thing is certain—growing up here tends to forge a strong character. “I think that sense of community really helped establish us as kids and taught us valuable people skills. It definitely prepared me for the future.”

It wasn’t uncommon to grow up alongside the same friends from elementary school through high school. “I’m going to be 47, and I can say I have 40-year friendships in this town. I don’t know if it’s like that anymore. Maybe it’s easier to stay in touch with social media, but there was nothing like seeing people you knew every day. They didn’t leave for the holidays and come back—you know, people stayed here.” Then, add the layer of competing against kids you’ve known your whole life—it only fueled the motivation. “That made it fun.”

Early Sports Life

Picture it—1985, a midsummer day. You’re with a group of kids walking across town, seeing five familiar faces before you even reach your destination, and a pickup baseball game waiting at the Little League field with your older brother and his friends.

It’s no surprise that Angela developed a love for sports at an early age. “I think having an older brother was the biggest influence on me getting into sports. I followed him around all the time—to the point where he was like, ‘All right, enough.’ Especially when he was in school, I wanted to dress like him and his friends.”

Just three years apart, Angela and Louie can butt heads like most siblings, but at the core of their relationship is an unshakable bond—one that’s as strong as any championship win.

Unlike most brother-sister relationships, they actually enjoyed spending time together, playing sports with mutual friends. “He let me play with them, but there was no special treatment just because I was a girl or his sister.”

You might wonder why Louie didn’t mind Angela tagging along to play basketball, baseball, soccer—you name it—but Angela suspects it was because she could hold her own. 

He let her in because he truly loved his little sister and respected her moxie. “She always wanted to be involved, and I never wanted to leave her out—even though she was younger and a girl. I knew she could hold her own, and honestly, I don’t think she would’ve taken no for an answer anyway. We were all really competitive growing up. Whether it was against each other or someone else, we both wanted to win—badly,” Louie explained.

“I think that helped me build character, which paid off in the long run,” Angela explained. “Playing mostly with boys who were faster and stronger forced me to keep up and compete, and ultimately, I became a better athlete because of it.”

“If you want to become a better athlete, you play up, not down.” Playing up meant competing with athletes who matched or exceeded your skill level. Angela’s mindset was simple: “Who cares? See what happens! Everybody loses and gets knocked down now and again. Trust me, I got knocked down and have been on teams where we lost big games by a lot, but I think it builds character. You have to learn how to win, but you also have to learn how to lose.” True competitors don’t just chase victory; they embrace every challenge with resilience and grace.

“Everyone told me your sister was better than you—and she was, Louie admitted. “But remember, she was better than everyone else too, in multiple sports, playing with both boys and girls. And he would just say, ‘Yeah, so? She’s better than you too!’ She was one of the top players at any level, in any sport.”

Sports have always been woven into the fabric of Hoboken. If you wanted to make a name for yourself, earn bragging rights, and gain respect beyond the average Joe, you played sports—and you competed. You left it all on the field. And one thing about Angela? She doesn’t just show up—she plays to win.

At the age of six, Angela asked her parents if she could play sports. There was soccer, baseball, and, of course, her true love—basketball.

Before embarking on an incredible basketball career, in which she was a three-time recipient of Hudson County Player of the Year and earn the title of one of “The greatest Hudson County sports figures of our time” from NJ.com in 2025, it’s important to note that she also asked her parents to join Hoboken Little League, which was mostly made up of boys. 

“My parents always supported whatever I wanted to do. They felt that if I could hold my own, then I could do whatever I wanted, and it was nobody’s business.” Again, no surprise that the positions Angela played were two of the most important on the diamond – pitcher and shortstop. Her team even won sectionals. “We had a lot of good players. I loved Little League. Thank you, Maria Pepe, for paving the way for girls in baseball.”

Family & Work Ethic

Her independence and strong work ethic came as no surprise—entrepreneurship ran in the family. Her parents owned Zampella’s Restaurant, where her mother Fran was the cook. It was a local staple that first opened in 1981 on 3rd and Grand, later moving to 5th and Grand in 1991 before closing in 1997.

Locals were greeted with a warm smile, a cozy seat, and a hearty Italian meal—a quintessential Hoboken restaurant where a family ran the show and everyone knew your name.

Being part of a restaurant family definitely had its perks! “I remember coming home from school with my friends, heading to the restaurant, and they’d push tables together, cover them with tablecloths, and we’d sleep there.” Talk about a core memory!

As busy as the restaurant was, Fran and Louie Sr. never missed a game. If Louie and Angela had games at the same time, they’d split up to ensure both had support in the stands. “They even closed the restaurant sometimes just to be there. That takes guts. They made so many sacrifices for my brother and me, and I think that’s beautiful. In that sense, we were very, very lucky.”

Angela wasn’t the only star athlete in the family—her brother Louie made his mark in football and baseball as well. Today, many know Louie as a Hoboken Fire Department Captain, former owner of Hoboken Bar & Grill, former Head Coach at Hudson Catholic High School, and now Defensive Coordinator for Seton Hall Prep. A dedicated coach, leader, and all-around great guy—Louie has a lot in common with his all-star sister.

Fran and Louie Sr. never pressured the kids to play sports—let alone compete at such a high level. Instead, they let their children choose their own paths. Once that decision was made, they did everything they could to support them, including centering family vacation around sporting events.

“She had God-given talent, but she worked extremely hard. Our parents made a lot of sacrifices, from sending us to camps to giving us the opportunity to compete, but we were never forced to play,” an important distinction made by Louie. “I think that’s what made us love it even more—it was because we wanted to do it, not because we had to. When you force a kid, it can turn them away from the sport. Whatever she wanted to do, we supported it, as long as it was productive and she gave it her all. That’s what made it special.”

“They not only supported us but held us accountable. We were taught to see everything through and show up for our teammates,” says Angela. Louie echoed that sentiment, explaining “”The only rule was that if you commit to something, you do it the right way—with discipline, hard work, and dedication. At the end of the day, our parents were working 14-hour days, and seeing their work ethic inspired us to give our best in everything we did.”

High School & Collegiate Basketball Career

A multi-sport athlete, when Angela went to St. Dominic’s High School in Jersey City, she played one season of softball, left her mark, and then made a pivotal decision to focus on basketball. It was a decision that would change the course of her life.

She distinguished herself as a star basketball player and went on to St. Joseph’s University, where Angela earned Honors playing in the “Big 5” and “Atlantic 10” conference every season of her career and later was inducted into the Hall of Fame. “Winning an A10 Championship is hard, so that was definitely an accomplishment that I’m really proud of.”

Long distance didn’t diminish her family’s steadfast support. “They drove to Philly almost every night for my games. That meant sitting in the car for two or three hours.”

After the devastating loss of Louie Sr. before Angela’s senior year of college, her brother Louie stepped up.

“He would drive my mom down in the middle of the night sometimes and just hang out, you know. They both still came to every game—even most of my travel games! My brother definitely did a lot, and he still does.”

“We’re very close,” Louie shared. “So I was always going to support her as best as I could. During her best college years, Dad wasn’t there, and I wanted to make sure she was okay. I miss going to those games—I loved watching her compete. I lived and died with every shot she took. Watching her play was something special.”

Louie is known for his steel-trap memory—he can recall names, dates, and locations from decades back. Angela jokes that, to this day, he still brings up plays she could have done differently. When asked for a memorable moment, Louie didn’t hesitate:

“Let me set the scene. It’s her first year of college, and they’re playing Alabama—a big team in the SEC. It’s a close game in overtime, and there’s a loose ball. She goes after it, headfirst into the scorer’s table. A school nun was there, and everyone looked concerned, but I yelled, ‘GET UP!’ I knew she was fine, and I wanted them to win. The parents were horrified, but they ended up winning in overtime!”

Professional Career & Playing Overseas

Fresh out of college, Louie and Fran gifted Angela a cruise trip to celebrate an unforgettable collegiate basketball career. But basketball just wasn’t done with her yet.

“I went on a cruise, came back, and we were in Atlantic City when I got a call from my coach. She said, ‘You gotta get on a plane right now and come to Denver to the Olympic practice facility.’ She told me to catch a flight the next day because someone had gotten hurt, creating an opening to try out.” Without hesitation, Angela booked the flight to join the women’s team representing the USA in the FIBA William Jones Cup, an annual international competition held in Taipei.

“We had maybe two or three practices and then we were on a flight to freaking Taiwan!”

Angela is never one to gloat or think of herself as more important than the next person. Her team brought home the gold that year, but when asked if she felt the weight of representing the USA overseas, her response was simple: “Other than the uniform saying USA, no. We were just playing basketball. We had a job to do. Yes, traveling was nice, but at the end of the day, we were there to win a championship.”

Angela went on to play professionally for ten years overseas, competing in Austria, Spain and Italy, among others. As busy as she was, she always carved out time to fly home to Hoboken and catch up with family and friends. She even worked it into her contracts to include an additional ticket for Fran to visit her during her travels.

Settling into a new home is always challenging, but imagine doing that in another country where they speak a different language. “The whole first week was chaotic. I had to get a car, find an apartment, and learn to drive stick in Austria. By the way, they just gave me a demo in a parking lot and sent me on my way.”

It was a bit of a culture shock, as Angela put it, but it didn’t take long for her to settle in. “I would send pictures to my family of me walking around and shopping in Rome, asking what they were up to.” Yet, if someone else asked what she was doing, “I just told them I was backpacking through Europe. I never wanted to talk about what I was doing.”

There she was—one of Hoboken’s own, traveling the world, discovering new cultures, and making her dream come true. “It was really fun. I had a great time.”

Then there was the less glamorous side of Italy—like waiting two weeks for your internet to be set up or chasing down the guy who was supposed to pay you on the 15th of every month. That’s when Angela’s city girl grit really came in handy!

To this day, if someone asks Angela about her professional career, she simply says, “I held my own.” 

She enjoys her current career, working for the City of Hoboken’s Recreation Department, after previously working at the Boys and Girls Club and HOLA.

“Now I’m working with kids, which I honestly never thought I’d do, but it’s fun because everyday is like a new experience. You just never know what’s going to happen.”

Working in recreation also means that Angela’s schedule shifts based on which sports are in season. From basketball to t-ball, she’s part of it all. “I want the kids to have more opportunities because one day they’re going to be taking care of us. We got to be nice to them. Ultimately, I want to see them live out their dreams the way I lived out mine.”

From playing in the streets of Hoboken to working for the city in a way that directly affects the quality of play that kids today have access to—it seems like fate to me. But to Angela, “it seems like I’m getting old!”

Reflection & Legacy

When asked for advice for a young girl aspiring to compete at a high level, she said, “Just work hard. Do what you want to do, don’t let anybody tell you no. You can accomplish whatever you want. The only person that could stop you is you.”

She continued, “You might be the best in your county, but when you step out of that world and meet other people from all over the world, you realize that there are probably hundreds of people who are better than you. But that’s not an excuse for them to work harder than you.” Always compete.

When asked what Louie thought about his little sister’s incredible career, he replied, “I admire everything she accomplished, but I also admire the fact that it probably wasn’t easy being a girl and the best player—whether it was playing with the boys or even on a high school girls’ team when some parents were against her. She never let that stop her. The way she worked, how hard she pushed herself—that’s what I respect the most.”

Angela is regarded as one of the top female athletes to come out of both St. Dominic Academy and St. Joseph’s University. She’s an international star and, without a doubt, one of the best all-around athletes Hoboken has ever produced.

Reflecting on her legacy, Angela shared, “Sportswise, I want people to think that I played hard and did the best I could with my God-given talent. That I worked for everything I achieved. My parents gave me all the love and support that they could give me, but I still had to go out and earn it. Watching their hard work over the years is what made me, me. I wanted them to be proud of me, and I still want them to be proud of me. Ultimately, I want people to think of me as a good person, a reliable person, and a good friend.”

Spoken like a team player. Hoboken’s proud to call Angela one of our own. If you know, you know.

 

Written By Victoria Marie Moyeno; Development Manager, Hoboken Historical Museum

Victoria Marie Moyeno, a fourth-generation Hoboken native, has long been dedicated to highlighting the beauty, culture, and history of her hometown. A storyteller at heart, she previously served as Associate Editor at The Hoboken Girl and The Montclair Girl, where she covered community stories, small businesses, and local events. Now, as the Development Manager for the Hoboken Historical Museum, she continues her mission of preserving and sharing the stories that make the Mile Square City unique.

Beyond her work with the Museum, Victoria uses her personal platform to spotlight small businesses, cultural events, and the people shaping Hoboken’s present and future. The Hoboken Journal is her latest passion project—a space dedicated to celebrating the heart and soul of the city. With deep roots in the community, her vision is to document the legacy of born-and-bred locals, influential figures, and changemakers.

Inspired by the Museum’s mission to honor and preserve Hoboken’s history, The Hoboken Journal aims to be a lasting record of the city’s rich past and evolving present. Through this platform, Victoria invites readers to explore, connect, and be inspired by the people and places that define Hoboken.