The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
VASJ parts ways with basketball coach
AD cites recent transfers, internal matters; Vikings won three state titles under alum
“I just really felt as if it was a time for the program to move forward and in a different direction . ... ” – VASJ athletic director Elvis Grbac
“I think it’s unjustified . ... But you know what, that’s life. I can’t be a hypocrite. I teach our kids that it’s how you respond to it, how you react to it.” – Babe Kwasniak
Babe Kwasniak’s 10-year coaching tenure at Villa Angela-St. Joseph ended Feb. 26.
Less than a full day after the school suspended its head basketball coach prior to its sectional semifinal loss to Edgewood, the Vikings announced Kwasniak’s contract would not be renewed effective immediately.
VASJ finished the season 8-15. The Vikings, seeded fourth in the Division II Ashtabula District, lost to the 13th-seeded Warriors in double overtime Feb. 25.
Athletic director Elvis Grbac said the school did not arrive at the decision overnight. He pointed to the loss of studentathletes due to transfers in recent years and how matters were handled internally within the basketball program throughout the year as factors in the school’s decision.
“Obviously, there were good things,” Grbac said. “Then there’s other things that were questionable but this is an evaluation over a long period of time.
“I just really felt as if it was a time for the program to move forward and in a different direction in light of what happened the entire season. I think it’s just needed at this time.”
Moreover, Grbac said he didn’t see the basketball program demonstrate adequate improvement over the course of the year.
The night before the school opted to part ways with Kwasniak, the administration placed him on suspension for insubordination and unprofessional conduct toward an administrator. Prior to the regular-season finale against St. Edward Feb. 22, a confrontation ensued between Kwasniak and an administrator regarding a suspended student-athlete who was at the game.
The proliferation of high school basketball transfers in Northeast Ohio hit VASJ’s program particularly hard in recent years, impacting the 2019-20 roster. A stunning loss to a five-win Edgewood team ended the season. The Vikings will not play for a district title for the first time since 2004.
When reached for comment, Kwasniak said he was shocked by the decision.
“I think this is unwarranted,” Kwasniak said. “I think it’s unjustified. I think it just sucks, but you know what, that’s life. I can’t be a hypocrite. I teach our kids that it’s how you respond to it, how you react to it.”
VASJ won three state titles and played in five consecutive state championship games under Kwasniak, a 1994 graduate. The Vikings won seven straight district titles across three divisions, spanning from 2013 to 2019.
At the beginning of the 2015-16 season, Kwasniak took a leave of absence from the basketball program before returning in January.
Kwasniak leaves VASJ with a 183-76 career record. When he was on the sideline, the Vikings won 48 of the 54 games they played in the state basketball tournament.
Kwasniak pointed toward the basketball program’s run of success during the past decade in the school’s increased enrollment. He plans to pursue another coaching opportunity in the future.
“I’m not done impacting lives,” Kwasniak said. “I will always love VASJ. This doesn’t change that. You’d be hard-pressed to find someone that’s gone to more football games, volleyball games over the
last 10 years than I have. I’ll still continue to impact lives somewhere so if anyone’s looking for a coach that’s 48-6 in the state tournament, I’m your guy. I still feel like I have a lot to offer.”
The administration begins a search for a new basketball coach, its first since 2010. The roster includes junior guard Jaden Hameed, who finished the year averaging 24.4 points per game.
Hameed surpassed Simon Texidor as the school’s all-time 3-point leader this season. He would enter his senior year 633 points away from Clark Kellogg’s 1,961 as the school’s alltime leading scorer.
Grbac and the administration seeks a coach, ideally with pre-existing ties to VASJ, who can bring a new energy to the program. He wants a candidate who can teach the game but also development bonds with kids in myriad ways.
“There’s a lot of intangibles that will be entailed for the next person stepping in and obviously, too, it’s some big, big shoes to fill,” Grbac said. “This program has been historically one of the best basketball programs in the state of Ohio and I think we’re going to have to do our due diligence on finding someone that can really handle that.”