Ferraro has resigned in a surprising and strange set of circumstances ignited by a “barrage” of letters from complaining parents and players.
Under school policy, he was given the opportunity to renew his normal one-year contract, according to Huber Heights Schools Superintendent William Kirby, but instead he sent Kirby an official resignation.
“He knew about the letters and was obviously bothered by it,” said Kirby. “As teachers and administrators at Wayne we have a lot of respect for Tony. I would hope some day my son would have a coach like Tony.”
Kirby referred to Ferraro as “strictly a class act.”
Stringfield steps in
Explaining the delay in any announcement (Ferraro resigned last spring after his 22nd season as head baseball coach) both Kirby and Wayne Athletic Director and head football coach Jay Minton said Ferraro insisted on “no big deal” publicity-wise.
Ferraro, still a social studies teacher at Weisenborn Junior High in Huber Heights, has refused to comment.
He has been replaced by Jason Stringfield, who played for Ferraro and has been the Warriors baseball JV coach since 2001. Stringfield is also the varsity golf coach.
“Tony did have a couple of rough .500 seasons the past two years and parents complained about him not updating his coaching style,” said Minton. “But he took pride in his rapport with his athletes and is obviously hurt.
“He has been a wonderful coach, as far as I am concerned. I told him we don’t let parents hire or fire our coaches and that I wanted him to stay, but he insisted on calling it quits. It’s a big loss for us because you can’t substitute for experience ... and we will miss him.”
Recruiting assist
Ferraro, inducted into the Miami Valley Baseball Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame in March of ’08, won numerous coach of the year awards in both baseball and girls basketball and assisted many student-athletes in acquiring college scholarships.
Some of the hottest recruits who got a Ferraro boost into the college ranks included catcher Brian Suerdick (Kentucky), pitchers Alex Earley (Youngstown State), Jordan Wolfe (Wright State), Kyle Hopqwood (Sinclair), pitcher/third baseman Tom Coombs (Eastern Michigan), outfielder Ryan Ashe (Wright State) and infielder Blaine Reese (Sinclair).
One of his all-time best Warrior products, first baseman/outfielder Zach Stewart, wound up at Ohio Dominican.
For many years, he was one of the coaches selected for the Bob Ross All-Star prep attraction at Fifth Third Field, a summer event that draws a horde of collegiate scouts to the Dragons’ field.
Ferraro was particularly close to his late parents and he was tagged “Little Joe” by his father when he was starring as a center fielder at Wright State. His father, a native New Yorker, was an avid Yankee and Joe DiMaggio fan.
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