Coaching Carousel Churns On

By Jeff Holsinger, Times-Union Staff Writer

SYRACUSE –ÊAfter increasing Wawasee’s win total by 600 percent, varsity boys basketball coach Robb Berger will be leaving.

Berger will be named the varsity boys basketball coach at Mishawaka High School, a 4A school with nearly 1,600 students, at tonight’s school board meeting.

Wawasee went 6-15 last season in Berger’s only year as Warrior coach. The season followed a 1-21 season under Jerry Davis in 1998-1999. Davis resigned on March 7, 1999.

Wawasee athletic director Mary Hurley refused to comment on whether or not Berger was leaving Wawasee, but she did say, “If he in fact leaves, we’ll set up a meeting with the school board and set up a timeline to hire a new coach.

“If he in fact goes, I’ll make comments then. Tomorrow, it may be a different situation.”

At the same time, a source close to the school said, “What does my gut tell me? It tells me Robb is going up there (to Mishawaka).”

While Hurley refused to confirm Berger is leaving, an executive session has been scheduled for tonight’s board meeting. It is believed Berger’s resignation will be accepted at this executive session.

Numerous attempts to reach Berger at home were unsuccessful.

Some have wondered about the timing of the move right before school begins, but the position at Mishawaka opened just three weeks ago when former coach Jerome Calderone resigned to become the assistant principal at Elkhart Memorial.

An administrator at Mishawaka said 20 candidates applied for the coaching vacancy. Mishawaka went 5-17 under Calderone last year.

Berger is believed to be taking an administration position at Mishawaka in addition to his basketball coaching duties.

Manchester To Go With Parker

Berger’s resignation will not be the only coaching announcement to take place tonight.

At tonight’s Manchester school board meeting, it is expected that the Squires will name Mike Parker as interim varsity girls basketball coach. Parker replaces Keri Nichols, who resigned after two years as Squires coach. Parker served as the junior varsity coach two years ago and was varsity assistant last year.

Manchester had to get special permission from the IHSAA to name Parker coach. Under a recent IHSAA rule, girls basketball coaches hired after July 1, 2000, are required to have a valid teaching license.

Parker does not have a teaching license.

Manchester had only one teaching opening and never could find a match for one person to fill the teaching/basketball coach opening. The IHSAA allowed Manchester to hire a coach without a teaching license on an interim basis.

Manchester was 25-18 the last two years under Nichols. The Squires lost in the first round of the sectional both seasons.