Maurelli and McGovern resign coaching positions
School district will commence search to replace BTHS coaches
BY WAYNE WITKOWSKI Staff Writer
Two Brick Township High School coaches - boys lacrosse coach Steve Maurelli and girls basketball coach Christine McGovern - resigned to devote more time to family concerns, while Brick Memorial anticipates no coaching changes for the next school year.

"I'm starting a new chapter of my life: I'm going back to school for my Master's in Educational Leadership at Monmouth University, and my wife is expecting our first child in January," said Maurelli, who took the team from its first varsity season three years ago. After 5-11 and 4- 11 seasons, the Green Dragons were 8-10 this spring and qualified for the Shore Conference Tournament for the first time, losing in the opening round.

"There's a lot of talent, so if they continue to work together, they'll go far," he said.M

aurelli said he is not recommending an assistant for the head coaching job but asks that assistant coaches John Schmitt and Charles Pazmino be retained. "My assistants did a great job," said Maurelli, who said he will remain at Lake Riviera Middle School as a seventhgrade language arts and social studies teacher.

Maurelli served as a volunteer hockey assistant at the school two seasons ago but not this past season.

Maurelli said there are many memorable moments, including this season when the team trailed 3-2 at halftime to Brick Memorial and erupted for five goals in the third period for a 10-4 victory. Maurelli said his halftime speech called for the team to score five goals in the third period.

Maurelli also remembers the first year, when the team was involved in fundraising with the Parents Club to defray operating expenses as it went to varsity from club level before the district's Board of Education moved to pick up some of the overhead. He remembers the first game as a varsity program against Red Bank Regional, when Steve Glowacki scored the first goal of the game en route to a high scoring season and Mike Colabella put in the winning goal.

"They're disappointed, but they understand: family matters come first," said Maurelli. Mr. [Rick] Handchen [the school's athletic director], my coaching staff and the Parents Club have been very supportive of the team, and I wish the team the very best. I'll miss it terribly, but I want to try to get out and see some games.

"I want to thank the students and the school [athletic] staff for supporting the program, and definitely the players for their hard work and determination," Maurelli said.

Seven players who had important roles in the success this season are graduating, including goalkeeper Chad Faulkner, defensemen David Egee and Nick Iacoves, and midfielders Colabella, James Murphy, Mark Masefield and Ken Brancaccio, who tore an anterior cruciate ligament toward the end of the season.

B ut the three leading scorers come

back for their senior year, including Ken Bogert, with 32 goals, Tim Firrman, with 22 goals and 12 assists, and James Whalen, with 21 goals and 19 assists.

Maurelli said the team needs to beat an established program in the Shore Conference to further raise its identity.

M cGovern, who coached the girls basketball team to the state tournament two years ago, declined to reapply for her fifth season in the position at the most recent Board of Education meeting. She said she obtained a coaching position as an assistant at Cherokee High School in Marlton, just five minutes from her home.

"It's just the commute," she said. "I've had a great experience at Brick and everything is great, but unfortunately it's about an hour from my home. Now I'm older and want to start a family, and my family is there. I had to do it. It's the best for me and my family."

McGovern will serve as an assistant. There also will be a new head coach with that district appointing a former assistant at Cherokee to that job. She has recommended her assistant coach at Brick - Kristi McCullough - for the head coaching job. McCullough also is an assistant coach for the girls track and field program, working with the runners.

"They'll do pretty well with a bunch of seniors coming back," said McGovern. "I've had great girls to work with."

Handchen said an interview process for both positions will begin "as soon as possible."

"Steve's been great as far as his enthusiasm for the sport," said Handchen. "He relates to the kids in the program very well and he's very structured and organized. Coaches are hard to find with his qualities. It's going to be a big loss.

"As for Chrissie, she travels and that's the key. She's been good for the program. She does a great job with getting the girls to play but commuting from down there every day to teach and coach here has been hard on her. Cherokee is getting a really good coach with her."

Brick Township also must fill the boys basketball coaching position after the district recommended Joe Lewis not return for a fifth season. That interview process has been completed and Handchen said he is making a recommendation to the district for consideration at an upcoming board of education meeting.