Latest on "the Wiz: full story, reaction from Billet, Kenny, Crotty, successor possibilities
By TONY GRAHAM
STAFF WRITER
MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP - The man they have called "Coach Wiz' for four decades is no longer coaching.
Ed Wicelinski Tuesday announced he is retiring as basketball coach at Christian Brothers Academy after what he termed ""27 memory filled but none the less stressful seasons.''
Wicelinski coached freshman basketball at CBA under Vinnie Cox beginning in the early
1970's before becoming head man in 1980-81.
Tuesday, dressed in a tan golf shirt embroidered with the letters CBA, Wicelinski
sat down with two reporters at lunch to make public the end of a brilliant career.
Taking over for Cox, a legend in his own right, the program flourished and grew under Wicelinski.
""The Wiz" won 625 games, believed to be the most by any coach at one Shore area high school, and captured an impressive range of championships from Shore Conference Tournaments to NJSIAA titles, as well as a ton of Shore Conference divisional crows.
""On the mental side I say to myself, "It's time,' '' said Wicelinski, 58. He also
said he ended the last two seasons "'physically ill.''
But he said leaving coaching will not be easy. ""I know there'll be
days when I'm going to doubt whether I'm doing the right thing,'' he said. """But from
an intellectual point of view I think it's the right thing to do for me and my family.''
He said his wife, Virginia, had said for the first time they'll enjoy what he termed a ""normal"' Thanksgiving and Christmas.
""Every Thanksgiving has been followed by two a days (practices), Fridays, Saturdays,
and Sundays.'' And then, he said, there were the annual post Christmas departures for
holiday tournaments.
Wicelinski said he's recommended interviews for the job for freshman coach and
former player Mike Wheeler and junior varsity coach Chris Kane. He said they have
already applied for the position.
Bill Hazelton, long-time CBA varsity assistant, a former head coach at Union High School, said he was not lobbying for the job but was ""sitting back and watching.''
Kevin Boyle, who coached St. Patrick's of Elizabeth to the last two NJSIAA
Tournament of Champions titles, is said to have expressed interest in CBA were the job
to open.
Former CBA star Geoff Billet, Seton Hall first-year assistant coach, said Wicelinski
was the best coach he ever played for.
""If I'm ever a head coach I would definitely use the practices, the preparation, and
everything we did at CBA as my main point of reference,'' said Billet.
""The CBA job is a great job and any alumnus of the school would be honored to be the
basketball coach there.''
Chris Kenny, Monmouth University first-year assistant coach who led CBA to a 27-1
record in 2001, said he could not envision himself getting involved. ""But I wouldn't
turn them down flat out,'' he said.
John Przygocki, CBA athletic director, promised a speedy resolution. He said he hoped
the new coach would be named by the conclusion of the current school year.
Wicelinski said only twice in the last 27 years had he considered leaving CBA. He said early in his career he turned down Brookdale Community College and later was interviewed for the Manhattan job when the Jaspers hired Steve Lappas.
Kenny said he was not surprised by the Tuesday announcement. ""You could kind of see
(this season) he was getting worn out on the bench,''s aid Kenny.
""When I told him after last season I was getting into coaching he started to ask me
who I think would be the better fit to replace him. So once he started asking me about
that stuff I knew he was thinking about trying to find someone to replace him.
""If I was going to coach he was probably my biggest influence,'' said Kenny. ""He's
"Coach Wiz.''
The news, however, ""shocked"" former CBA great John Crotty. ""He's been almost an
institution over there,'' said the former star guard from 1984-87.
Crotty went on to play college basketball at the University of Virginia before
spending 13 years in the NBA. He is currently a radio analyst for the Miami Heat of the
NBA.
""When you think of CBA basketball you definitely think of him and Vinnie Cox and all the tradition we've had there,'' said Crotty Tuesday. ""And a lot of that can be attributed to Coach Wiz.''
Crotty said he remembered Wicelinski for his intense practices. ""He's got me to
practice at an even higher level,'' Crotty said. ""I think he prepared me for college as
much as any coach could. He was running college practices in high school.''
Kenny said Wicelinski's value to him was more than a coach. ""I kind of structure my whole life after the guy,''said Kenny. ""He always talked
about organization and being disciplined. I kind of map my day out and he would make us
do that in health class.
Wicelinski informed his players of his decision Tuesday afternoon. ""We didn't
really have any idea anything was up,'' said Mike Kuhn, who will be a senior point guard
in 2007-2008.
He said the Colts had no favorites for a successor. ""No matter who the coach is
we're just going to continue to play smart basketball.''
""I hope I was fair (as a coach), we tried to be,'' said Wicelinski. ""We tried to
be teachers. Our goal was always to be better at the end of the year that we were at the
beginning.''
Crotty said Wicelinski's successor has his work cut out for him.
""Whoever gets the job has an awesome responsibility following in the foot steps of
Coach Wiz,'' Crotty said.
Wicelinski said he plans continue to teach health and physical education at CBA and
run his summer basketball camps.
e-mail tonygsports@aol.com
STAFF WRITER
MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP - The man they have called "Coach Wiz' for four decades is no longer coaching.
Ed Wicelinski Tuesday announced he is retiring as basketball coach at Christian Brothers Academy after what he termed ""27 memory filled but none the less stressful seasons.''
Wicelinski coached freshman basketball at CBA under Vinnie Cox beginning in the early
1970's before becoming head man in 1980-81.
Tuesday, dressed in a tan golf shirt embroidered with the letters CBA, Wicelinski
sat down with two reporters at lunch to make public the end of a brilliant career.
Taking over for Cox, a legend in his own right, the program flourished and grew under Wicelinski.
""The Wiz" won 625 games, believed to be the most by any coach at one Shore area high school, and captured an impressive range of championships from Shore Conference Tournaments to NJSIAA titles, as well as a ton of Shore Conference divisional crows.
""On the mental side I say to myself, "It's time,' '' said Wicelinski, 58. He also
said he ended the last two seasons "'physically ill.''
But he said leaving coaching will not be easy. ""I know there'll be
days when I'm going to doubt whether I'm doing the right thing,'' he said. """But from
an intellectual point of view I think it's the right thing to do for me and my family.''
He said his wife, Virginia, had said for the first time they'll enjoy what he termed a ""normal"' Thanksgiving and Christmas.
""Every Thanksgiving has been followed by two a days (practices), Fridays, Saturdays,
and Sundays.'' And then, he said, there were the annual post Christmas departures for
holiday tournaments.
Wicelinski said he's recommended interviews for the job for freshman coach and
former player Mike Wheeler and junior varsity coach Chris Kane. He said they have
already applied for the position.
Bill Hazelton, long-time CBA varsity assistant, a former head coach at Union High School, said he was not lobbying for the job but was ""sitting back and watching.''
Kevin Boyle, who coached St. Patrick's of Elizabeth to the last two NJSIAA
Tournament of Champions titles, is said to have expressed interest in CBA were the job
to open.
Former CBA star Geoff Billet, Seton Hall first-year assistant coach, said Wicelinski
was the best coach he ever played for.
""If I'm ever a head coach I would definitely use the practices, the preparation, and
everything we did at CBA as my main point of reference,'' said Billet.
""The CBA job is a great job and any alumnus of the school would be honored to be the
basketball coach there.''
Chris Kenny, Monmouth University first-year assistant coach who led CBA to a 27-1
record in 2001, said he could not envision himself getting involved. ""But I wouldn't
turn them down flat out,'' he said.
John Przygocki, CBA athletic director, promised a speedy resolution. He said he hoped
the new coach would be named by the conclusion of the current school year.
Wicelinski said only twice in the last 27 years had he considered leaving CBA. He said early in his career he turned down Brookdale Community College and later was interviewed for the Manhattan job when the Jaspers hired Steve Lappas.
Kenny said he was not surprised by the Tuesday announcement. ""You could kind of see
(this season) he was getting worn out on the bench,''s aid Kenny.
""When I told him after last season I was getting into coaching he started to ask me
who I think would be the better fit to replace him. So once he started asking me about
that stuff I knew he was thinking about trying to find someone to replace him.
""If I was going to coach he was probably my biggest influence,'' said Kenny. ""He's
"Coach Wiz.''
The news, however, ""shocked"" former CBA great John Crotty. ""He's been almost an
institution over there,'' said the former star guard from 1984-87.
Crotty went on to play college basketball at the University of Virginia before
spending 13 years in the NBA. He is currently a radio analyst for the Miami Heat of the
NBA.
""When you think of CBA basketball you definitely think of him and Vinnie Cox and all the tradition we've had there,'' said Crotty Tuesday. ""And a lot of that can be attributed to Coach Wiz.''
Crotty said he remembered Wicelinski for his intense practices. ""He's got me to
practice at an even higher level,'' Crotty said. ""I think he prepared me for college as
much as any coach could. He was running college practices in high school.''
Kenny said Wicelinski's value to him was more than a coach. ""I kind of structure my whole life after the guy,''said Kenny. ""He always talked
about organization and being disciplined. I kind of map my day out and he would make us
do that in health class.
Wicelinski informed his players of his decision Tuesday afternoon. ""We didn't
really have any idea anything was up,'' said Mike Kuhn, who will be a senior point guard
in 2007-2008.
He said the Colts had no favorites for a successor. ""No matter who the coach is
we're just going to continue to play smart basketball.''
""I hope I was fair (as a coach), we tried to be,'' said Wicelinski. ""We tried to
be teachers. Our goal was always to be better at the end of the year that we were at the
beginning.''
Crotty said Wicelinski's successor has his work cut out for him.
""Whoever gets the job has an awesome responsibility following in the foot steps of
Coach Wiz,'' Crotty said.
Wicelinski said he plans continue to teach health and physical education at CBA and
run his summer basketball camps.
e-mail tonygsports@aol.com
posted by Tony Graham at 4:51 PM
3 Comments:
who cares its baseball season
You're right.
Why did we even mention it when thousands attend hs baseball games and mainly 75-100 fans attend hoops?
Silly us.
Arguably one of the greatest, if not the Greatest basketball coach the Shore conference has ever had. He always runs a clean program, his teams are always at the top, and he always produces not only good players, but good people overall. You can pull out a million memories of Coach Wiz, from the Shore Conference titles, St. Anthony games with Coach Hurley, national rankings, etc. But I think this past year he really showed how great he really is. Taking a team that started 1-2 with losses to Colts Neck and Freehold - they turn it around playing CBA team basketball and end up in the State Finals again. His presence in the Shore will be missed, but I have to believe whoever they hire, will continue the CBA basketball dominance.
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