1/24/2012 - (Mugs Media Exclusive) Falcons Hire DeGennaro
After coaching softball for the last eight years at Sussex County Community College, Nick DeGennaro decided to leave the Skylanders after last season.
The veteran coach, who is well-known in softball circles all over the Mugs Media area and did a great job at SCCC, said at the time that if he were to return to coaching it would have to be a pretty special job.
Well, it didn’t take very long for DeGennaro to find that special place.
The Jefferson Township Board of Education recently approved DeGennaro as the Falcons new head softball coach as the Kittatinny graduate and current teacher at his alma mater will take over one of the most storied programs in the area and in Morris County.
“I’m really excited and it is a great opportunity for me to coach in a community that softball is very important,” said DeGennaro, who added there are 400 kids who play softball in the Jefferson recreation program.
“Hopefully I can bring some stability to an already great program that Ed Levens built,” he added. “As long as they will have me back I will be there. I want to keep building on the tradition.”
DeGennaro replaces co-head coaches Dawn Gilchrist and Carolyn McCrea who had to leave the position due to changes in their professional lives. The former Jefferson All-Staters led the Falcons to a 13-9 mark overall and 7-6 record in Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference American Division in their one season at the helm.
DeGennaro becomes the Falcons’ third head coach in the last four years after The Legend, Ed Levens, was forced out by the Board of Ed in 2009 after he retired from teaching at the school for 43 years.
In 30 seasons Levens posted an amazing 614-156 (.797) record along with two state titles, 12 section crowns, four Morris County championships and 18 Sussex County Interscholastic banners.
He was succeeded by Marianne DiRupo in 2010 and the former All-State player from Roxbury guided the Falcons to a 13-6 mark and a share of the Freedom Division with Lenape Valley in her one season.
“I’m really excited about his selection,” said Jefferson AD John DiColo, who used to coach softball at Mt. Olive. “He can’t wait to get started and he is very enthusiastic. He has excellent knowledge of the game and he is very likeable.
“I have heard nothing but good things about him,” added DiColo. “My goal is to have someone here for many years like Ed’s regime.”
DiColo said he was pleased to get a coach of DeGennaro’s stature, but he was sad to see Gilchrist and McCrea go.
“It is always exciting to have former players come back and coach and those two are two of the best athletes from here,” DiColo said. “I’m disappointed they had to leave, but we are very happy to have Nick.”
Gilchrist and McCrea did not leave the cupboard bare. The Falcons lost three top players in pitcher Sam Abromavage, Kelly Noonan and Cassie Furnare to graduation, but DeGennaro has a great group back.
He will look to Amanda Gerritsen, who he coached in summer ball, catcher Sandra Federocko, Alyssa Sanchez, Katie Lisa and Jade Blanchard. Right now, sophomore pitcher Melissa Jurkiewicz, who backed up Abromavage last season, will be battling for a spot in the circle.
“There is a lot of talent in the program,” said DeGennaro. “We have to figure out our pitching, so we will be relying on our hitting and defense.”
DeGennaro said he is looking forward to the challenge of coaching in the American Division with the likes of Sparta, the defending Group 3 champ, a very dangerous and young High Point team led by ace Ally Frei, Pope John and its talented cast and the always dangerous Morris Hills and Mt. Olive.
“The division is so tough, right now it looks like High Point may be the team to beat,” DeGennaro said. “But Rick Poots does a great job at Sparta as does Frank Canning at Pope John. And Morris Hills and Mt. Olive have always been softball-rich areas. But we will compete with all of them.”
DeGennaro, who was an assistant coach at Kittatinny years ago, said that he wouldn’t have been able to land the Jefferson gig without having coached at SCCC.
He molded the Skylanders into a Region 19 power in his tenure as the Skylanders went 26-14 last year. DeGennaro and his staff of Ben Master and JJ Koert did a great job of recruiting top-notch talent from West Jersey to College Hill, while also turning good athletes into softball players, a must on the junior college level.
“Everything happening now is an extension of what we did at Sussex,” said DeGennaro. “I learned a lot there and I was able to make mistakes and learn from them and become a better coach. I also had a great staff in Ben Master and JJ Koert.
“I’m very grateful to John Kuntz (Sussex AD) and SCCC for the opportunity coach there,” he added.
So here is my two cents and I know you couldn’t wait to get them. I think it is a great hire for both parties. Jefferson is a softball town and DeGennaro is a guy who has dedicated his life to the game.
I have gotten to know Nick over the years as both a coach and a person. He calls wrestling matches for us on Mugs Media and Channel 10 and he is a wealth of knowledge in wrestling and softball.
But what makes him stand out is his passion for softball. Anyone can tell you when to bunt and when to steal. Not only does Nick have the IQ but his energy will rub off on the kids.
Plus he is very strong in his principles and confident in his ability and kids pick up on that. No one wants to play for a coach who is unsure of himself, and I will tell you one thing, Nick does not lack that confidence.
He is not cocky or obnoxious, but has a very confident vibe about him and that will serve the Falcons well.
So, good luck, Nick, I know you will do a good job. But remember, we still have to finish out the wrestling season on Channel 10!
That is it for now, see you on the sidelines.
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