It’s been a wild ride back to the top of the Schuylkill League standings for the Pottsville Crimson Tide girls’ basketball program. But for Rick Wojciechowsky, that ride is over.
The Crimson Tide coach for the past four years, Wojciechowsky has stepped down from that post, a decision he said he made “a short time ago.” Pottsville officially accepted his resignation at Monday’s athletics meeting.
Also the chief of the Pottsville Police Department, Wojciechowsky decided it was better to devote all of his attention to his family and the city.
“The responsibility I felt to
the players and the school was very big, but the responsibility I feel to, No. 1, my family and, No. 2, the city and the men and women I work with in my full-time job is even greater,” Wojciechowsky said. “It got to the point where I didn’t feel that I could do all three of those at the highest level I would expect and I needed to make a decision.
“It was a very tough decision for me to make. I feel it’s the right one at this time for everyone.”
Pottsville athletic director Eric Rismiller said the department didn’t advertise the position until after Wojociechowsky’s decision was made official, but he has received “several inquiries from a variety of people” who heard through word of mouth.
The position was opened for application Monday on the District 11 website.
Pottsville went 51-42 under Wojociechowsky’s direction, a record not indicative of the turnaround the program saw during that span.
Wojociechowsky’s first season with the Tide ended 5-17, but groundwork had been laid.
“We had great people involved, the players and the people I had helping me with the program,” Wojciechowsky said. “We were able to change the attitude, that was the biggest thing. We changed the mentality that was brought to the basketball court.
“As that changed and as the players bought into that, the hard work that they committed to me and the program produced the result that it did.”
The Crimson Tide qualified for the District 11 Class AAAA playoffs in his second season and finished the year 12-11. Still, there was more to achieve.
During the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons, Pottsville went 34-14 and qualified for the Schuylkill League and District 11 playoffs both seasons. The Tide’s debut in each of those tournaments were losses, but only by an average of three points.
Both playoff losses this past season were by one point. Pottsville lost to Minersville 49-48 in the Schuylkill League semifinals and to Parkland 42-41 in the district quarters.
“I’m confident that they’ll have great success ahead of them,” Wojciechowsky said. “Even knowing that this was the absolute right decision at this time, it would’ve been much more difficult for me to make if they weren’t such a strong team. I’m confident that they’ll be able to make a smooth transition and continue with their success.”
Wojciechowsky previously coached in the Pottsville junior high girls’ program before assisting on the varsity level and eventually taking over the varsity team.
Wojociechowsky is the third Schuylkill League girls’ basketball coach to resign this offseason, following Nick Reichert at Schuylkill Haven and Brad Hurley at Panther Valley.
Wojociechowsky certainly isn’t leaving the program in bad shape, as the Crimson Tide return four of their five starters and a bevy of experienced players off the bench.
Senior-to-be guard Sadie Cresswell averaged 15 points and 3 3-pointers per game this season while shooting 77 percent from the free-throw line. Also back will be spark-plug point guard Madison Sherakas, 6-foot forward Kyra Schenk and defensive specialist Alyssa Kondrack.
“Rick has done a fantastic job. He’s brought back a pride in Tide basketball that we haven’t seen in a while,” Rismiller said. “You talk about leaving the cupboard bare, well he’s leaving the kitchen with all its appliances.
“With a heavy heart, we accept his resignation because he was a coach that demanded respect. He got the most out of the girls and we’re going to miss him.”