Meeting with schools superintendent Epps to decide Ferris’ coach’s fate
It has transformed into a major mystery, with no real solution.
One day after he received a five-day suspension for allegedly helping damage a field at Lincoln Park West, veteran baseball coach Mike Hogan resigned as head coach at Ferris High School.
Michael Venutolo, the director of health and physical education for the Jersey City Board of Education, confirmed the news of Hogan’s sudden resignation Wednesday.
"He resigned for personal reasons," Venutolo said. "I can’t talk about the other things. That has to do with personnel and we’re not allowed to comment on that."
Hogan declined to comment on his resignation.
Hogan, who has been a highly successful coach at St. Mary’s, St. Anthony and Marist, before taking over the Ferris program two seasons ago, has been replaced by his former player and assistant coach Matt Rubino.
Rubino has taken over as head coach on an interim basis.
However, late Wednesday night, it was reported that perhaps Hogan had a change of heart. His resignation was put on hold, until he had a meeting with Jersey City Superintendent of Schools Charles Epps on Thursday morning.
The two were hopeful that they could reach a solution with the bizarre dilemma.
Hogan apparently got into trouble two weeks ago when he became angry that a soccer goalpost remained on the playing field at Lincoln Park West, while the Bulldogs were trying to play a scrimmage game against a Brooklyn team.
Instead of receiving permission to remove the post from the field, Hogan instructed his players to remove the post, and the moving of the heavy metal post caused significant damage to the sod and dirt areas.
When Hogan was asked by Board of Education officials about moving the post without permission, he admitted to doing it, but stated that he did on his own free will – without the help of his players, which is next to impossible.
Because of the incident, Hogan was handed a week’s suspension from the Board of Education on Tuesday, but a day later, Hogan decided to quit altogether.
Hogan addressed his shocked players Wednesday afternoon to tell them of his decision.
"He told us that he was sick and tired of us getting the short end of the stick when it came to getting fields," said sophomore catcher Izzy Cuadra. "He said that no one cared about us, that people were changing fields on us and taking fields away.”
Cuadra said that the Bulldogs were extremely upset by Hogan’s decision to resign, just two weeks before the 2001 season was scheduled to start.
"We were hoping to make a run at [the county championship] this year," Cuadra said. "We were all looking forward to the season, and then this thing comes up. Everyone on this team doesn’t want him to quit. He’s been more than a coach to us. He’s sort of a father figure, a mentor and a friend all together to all of us. We’re all upset with it."
Venutolo echoed the player’s sentiments.
"We’re absolutely disappointed," Venutolo said. "Mike has worked hard with the team, works long hours and is a very good coach. He put Ferris back on the right track, like he did everywhere he went. I’m extremely disappointed he’s leaving us. It’s a setback for the school, the program, for me personally. Everyone knows his reputation for working with players and getting the most of their abilities."
Well, maybe the disappointment was temporary and perhaps the schools chief and the embattled coach came to some sort of an agreement that will keep him in the third base coaching box this season.
Hogan coached both St. Anthony and Marist to NJSIAA Parochial B and HCIAA championships during his tenure and was the high school coach of major leaguers John Valentin and Willie Banks…