Get to know your Athletic Director
Jim Buonocore
Ledyard HS
Jim Buonocore has served as the athletic director at Ledyard High School since 2011. Under his leadership, the Colonels have won 40 Eastern Connecticut Conference divisional titles, 8 state championships and six Michael’s Cup Awards, recognizing exemplary athletic achievement. Buonocore also serves as the assistant principal at Ledyard High School. 

Prior to becoming the athletic director and assistant principal, Buonocore was a head football coach in the Eastern Connecticut Conference for 17 years. He was the head coach at Stonington High School (1999-2002), Fitch High School (2003-2007) and Ledyard High School (2008-2015). He ended his coaching career after the 2015 season with an overall record of 130-56-1. Buonocore took all three schools to the postseason ending his coaching career with 8 state playoff berths, 5 divisional titles and 3 appearances in the state championship. Buonocore earned Coach of the Year honors from The Day, Norwich Bulletin, New Haven Register, Southeastern CT Chapter of the National Football Foundation and the Connecticut High School Coaches Association. Buonocore was also selected to be the head coach for Team Connecticut in the annual summer high school all-star football game in 2008 and 2012. 

Jim is a graduate of New London High School where he played football, basketball and baseball for the Whalers from 1987-1991. He played on state championship teams in all three sports at New London High School during his career. He was named The Day Football Player of the Year in 1990 and was selected to the CHSCA all state baseball team in 1991. He was later inducted into the NLHS Football Hall of Fame in 1997. Jim attended Springfield College where he lettered in football and baseball before graduating in 1996 with a degree in physical education. Upon graduation, he remained at Springfield College as a graduate assistant football coach and earned his master’s degree in health education. Buonocore coached the defensive backs and running backs for Springfield College while also spending the summer of 1997 as an intern coach with the Dallas Cowboys. Jim then returned to the Eastern Connecticut Conference to take his first head coaching position at Stonington High School in 1999. He also taught physical education and health and served as the athletic director at Stonington High School (2001 and 2002) before obtaining his 092 certification and moving into administration full time as an athletic director and assistant principal. 

​Buonocore has served on the CIAC football committee since 2008. He is a member of the NIAAA, CAAD and currently sits as the 3rd vice president of the Connecticut High School Coaches Association. Jim is the ECC chairperson for the sports of football and boys basketball and currently sits on the league executive committee as the past president. 


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