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Mondalto will take season off from coaching

Tuesday, March, 25 By Dan Guttenplan
Staff writer

For the first spring in 15 years, Jerry Mondalto is not preparing for an upcoming baseball season.

The long-time Amesbury High baseball coach has no plans to coach this spring, he said yesterday. Mondalto coached Amesbury from 1983 through 2007 with the exception of a six-year span from 1988 to 1993. Amesbury athletic director Elizabeth McAndrews relieved Mondalto of his head-coaching position last October. She has not specified the reasons for Mondalto's release.

"I really haven't done anything with baseball since I was fired," Mondalto said. "I think I'll coach again at some point. I miss the kids. But I've got my garden planted. I'm getting a chance to do things I haven't done in 40 years."

When McAndrews informed Mondalto of her decision to replace him in October, the veteran coach said he would be interested in coaching at another school this spring.

"I still want to coach," Mondalto said yesterday. "I don't know where | maybe at a small junior college. I don't know if I want to get in to high school again. It would depend on the location. I wouldn't relocate. I'm pretty well settled."

Mondalto tallied a record of 270-195 in 19 seasons with Amesbury. His Indians won a state title in 1997 and a sectional title in 2000. McAndrews hired long-time Amesbury Little League coach Gene Burnham to replace Mondalto.

Mondalto encountered his share of controversy in his final season as coach last spring. McAndrews, who was in her first year as AD at Amesbury, suspended Mondalto at midseason for three games citing conduct detrimental to the team. Mondalto has since admitted that the suspension stemmed from an incident in which he used inappropriate language with a player who was in the process of quitting the team.

Still, he does not feel the infraction warranted a coaching change.

"The way they handled the entire situation left me bitter," Mondalto said. "At this point, I could really care less about the Amesbury administration."

Mondalto currently serves as Pentucket Regional School District's manager of building facilities. He held the same position for Amesbury School District before resigning last July.

"I'm thrilled and happy over at Pentucket," Mondalto said. "I have no thoughts of leaving there. I've been treated exceptionally well."

Georgetown baseball coach Mark Rowe recently contacted Mondalto in hopes that he would attend a ceremony before the inaugural Burt Spofford tournament April 5 and 6 at Georgetown High. Spofford died last July at the age of 90. He coached baseball at almost every level in Amesbury, including high school, American Legion and semi-pro.

"I think I'll go (to the tournament)," Mondalto said. "Mark said he knows it might be awkward, but I'm not worried about it. Burt was a special guy. He did a lot for kids. He was a very unselfish guy. He was someone people would want to support."

Mondalto will have a chance to watch his former team if he attends the Spofford tournament. Amesbury, Newburyport, Georgetown and Ipswich will compete. Mondalto does not anticipate becoming a regular spectator at Amesbury games this spring.

"I'm very interested in a few players from Amesbury. I hope they do well," Mondalto said. "It's a big year for a few of them as far as picking schools. But will I go to games? I don't think so. Anybody who gets fired is going to have a certain kind of bitterness. That's what I'm feeling."

Mondalto said he remains in touch with several former players and their parents. He has also heard from several other Cape Ann League coaches besides Rowe.

"I've had brief conversations with (Pentucket baseball coach) Tom L'Italien about baseball," Mondalto said. "I haven't pursued any baseball coaching opportunities, though. Good luck to (Newburyport coach) Billy (Pettingell). Even though our teams were archrivals, I sure will miss coaching against him and Mark (Rowe). I'll miss practice. I'll miss the competition. But I like my free time, and I'll have more of it than usual this spring."