Maher set for induction into N.J. Scholastic Coaches Hall
HAMILTON » It has been quite a start to 2018 for Nottingham baseball coach Jim Maher. So much so, that when he is inducted into the New Jersey Scholastic Coaches Hall of Fame this Sunday, Maher considers it the second-best thing to happen so far this year.
As a die-hard Eagles and Villanova fan, Maher ranks the HOF induction between the Super Bowl and NCAA title.
“Eagles without question,” Maher said. “Villanova, we’ve done that before. The Hall of Fame is great but you don’t get the feeling you do like when you’re watching competition, so without question the Eagles. The Eagles have been my entire life and I’ve never seen this happen before.”
Asked if that might be insulting to the Hall of Fame, Maher laughed.
“That’s shows I’m a team guy, not an individual,” he said. “Hopefully my players read that.”
Maher’s feelings are understandable, as he probably suffered through less walk-off losses than late interceptions in the endzone over the years. But make no mistake, the Steinert graduate is delighted with this latest recognition and does not take it for granted.
“I am very humbled by this honor and have been very blessed to have good players, assistant coaches and, for the most part, parents,” Maher said. “Coaching baseball is what I always wanted to do, and to reach this highest honor is very special.”
Maher was selected out of a list of nominees from throughout New Jersey, and will have his name and school included on the Class of 2018 tablet in the NJSCA Hall of Fame Room in Robbinsville’s NJSIAA headquarters. The induction program will be held at the Westin Princeton at Forrestal Village at noon.
His credentials speak for themselves.
In his fourth season as Nottingham head coach, Maher has an overall record of 403-172 for a .734 winning percentage. He won 146 games at Florence, 204 with Hamilton and is at 53 and counting with Nottingham. Maher won a state title with Hamilton, three Central Jersey sectional championships, nine Colonial Valley Conference division crowns and one Carpenter Cup title. His teams have made eight trips to sectional finals and three to the Mercer County Tournament finals, which is the one crown he has not won.
Over 50 of Maher’s players have gone on to college. He has produced several professionals and one Major Leaguer in James Hoey. Maher has also had outstanding success coaching Babe Ruth All Stars and Collegiate Baseball in the summer, and has served as a college assistant at three different schools.
In fact, college is where he wanted to be after graduating from Atlantic Christian (now Barton) in 1982. Maher served as a Barton assistant before earning his Masters’ Degree at The College of New Jersey and serving as a graduate-assistant.
Maher applied for head jobs at Virginia Wesleyan and Barton and finished second both times. He took his first teaching/coaching job at Florence (where he also coached cross country) in 1987 but still had his sights on college. Once wife Lynn gave birth to daughter Shannon and son Matt, Maher had a feeling he was a high school lifer.
He served as a Rider assistant between stints at Hamilton and Nottingham, but once his kids began playing in college, Jim wanted to watch them play and put his own collegiate dreams on the backburner. He tried one last time when they graduated and applied for Stockton, finishing second again.
“I always had aspirations of being a college coach some day and now I kind of realize at my age, not gonna happen,” Maher said. “So I’m hoping to do this for as long as I can.”
Like so many guys who come from Mercer County, Maher feels he is a composite coach made up of so many others he played under.
“I’ve had great mentors in Rich Giallella, Dave Jauss, Doc Sanford, Butch Miller, Rick Dell, Chuck Giambelluca, Marty Flynn, Ken Rauba, Ron Nicklow, Fred Walters, and the Freemans (Rick and Ken),” Maher said. “Even my rec basketball coach for my Barton and Cooney team, Dick Fisher, made an impact at a young age. He taught us the importance of bouncing back from a loss, which we needed because we never won a lot.”
Follow Rich Fisher on twitter @fish4scores