Rec Commission says Pete Zimmerman will coach, but dept says program will join USA Football
Phil Green, Pete Zimmerman and Jim Nottingham after the Rec Commission announced last night that Zimmerman would continue to coach for the town’s recreational football program.
May 14, 2010
by Christine Yeres
In a Rec Commission meeting last Thursday, May 6, commissioner John Re announced that the commission will permit Pete Zimmerman to continue coaching in the rec football program. Details of how the program will be run on a night-by-night basis won’t be released for a few weeks, said Superintendent of New Castle Parks and Recreation, Robert O. Snyder.
Reached this week, Snyder confirmed for NCNOW that the department intends to associate the rec football program with USA Football “as a resource, a training tool. USA Football will train the coaches in an online course that costs $20 for each person, which the town will pay for this year. Because of budget cuts next year we’re not sure about whether the town will pay next year. Two or three rec department employees will take it too.” Rec department employee Matt Nordt will be point-person for the rec football program and will likely be one of those who take the course. Snyder was not sure how much time the course would take to complete.
The rec football program will still rely on eight or ten parent coaches, said Snyder, and rec football teams “will still play only ourselves” on the lighted rec field. Asked how the program would differ from last year’s, Snyder responded, “The rec department put the schedule together last year and we’ll do it again this year. The teams are picked in September and we’ll pick them in September this year. I don’t know how the teams will be picked. It may be exactly the same way as last year, maybe different. Will we have a draft? Will we assign players? We don’t know. We will have all this info in a couple of weeks. We’ll develop the program and put it all together so there won’t be any questions.”
Zimmerman’s statement to commission members
Zimmerman, who believed that the rec commission members would decide his fate on Thursday, May 6 was surprised to learn that the commission had met two days earlier and made its decision to allow him to continue to coach.
“I appreciate the fact that you allowed me to come back and coach,” said Zimmerman, “I’ve devoted much of my adult life to my passion, and I don’t believe any organization can bring what I do to the program. I see these kids from the time they’re five and six years old. My job is to find the strength of each individual child, no matter how big or small he is.”
“I’m just as much to blame as the people who made the decision for what happened. I had three more pages to read, but now that I’m back coaching, they don’t matter. I believe in the rec football program. The volunteer coaches and I have made this program what it is, and I really think that we should sit down now together and figure out how to make the best possible program for the kids.”
To find previous Letters to the Editor in Response to “New Football Game in Town,” click HERE.
before anyone rushes to judgement, they need to ask the right questions..funny how every one of these articles and responses is so one sided….get all the facts before you go about making judgments!!
Only one article started it off. The rest were letters, and they unanimously supported the reinstatement of Pete Zimmerman. If the rec department (or other people) who don’t approve of the reinstatement have a problem, they should spell out what it is. Pete’s not perfect, but the rec department personnel, as many of us know from experience, are no angels themselves. Let’s all just contribute what we can to the football experience for our kids. Pete has value, use him and move on.
Move on how? And what happens now? Pete will coach, yes, but will he run it as well? Someone in the rec department will be the point person (Matt Nort, I think) but who will organize it? And I mean NOW—we can’t wait around several months to decide how to run it. Let’s get organized.
I looked for that rec commission meeting on Thursday night. Where WERE they? I couldn’t find them. I would have attended that meeting. My kids and I want Pete back. I’m glad to hear the rec com decided to change its collective mind, but WHERE did they do it? Wasn’t it supposed to be a public meeting?
Me neither. I thought they met at the town hall. Granted I got started late, but I couldn’t find them. Where were they? At least they made a good call, from what I can tell. But is Pete ONLY coaching? Who will organize? And if Pete has to be more polite, will rec personnel have to be too?
... maybe the rec commission needs better info AND attention from residents ALL ALONG—not just when they do something that rubs people the wrong way. Glad to see Zimmerman will be back coaching. Good decision.
Pete knows how to smile! Good call by Rec
I am happy to hear that smarter heads prevailed!
Horray for Pete’s return!
The rec commission meeting still did not address who is going to run the football program. They reinstated Pete to coach only. As usual, the rec dept is dragging their feet. This is a slap in the face to Pete and all those who have given their time to make New Castle youth football a success.
Wait a minute—we’re waiting how long for the rec dept to decide what football will look like and how it will run!?!?!? Is the dept asking for input from residents? Rec commission members aren’t elected officials. How do they find out what the community wants? ARE they the deciders, or is it Super. Snyder who decides? If Snyder, then how does HE determine what the community wants?
I have coached rec football for five years. I have been totally undefeated the past two years and in several years prior, I have only lost one game in three years. I think Pete and some qualified individuals should run the program as their own commission. What does anyone else in town know about running a successful football program from their offices or seats? I also see other towns compete like every other sport in this town does. Why is it that football is the only sport in this town that doesn’t compete. I think every other town in Westchester competes outside their own town. Furthermore, I have visited every single other town in Westchester through high school sports and see that they all have all purpose fields so that they don’t loose field time when the weather is bad.
Why is it that our town has the worst fields in the area? Why can’t we get lights on the field situated such that they do not interfere with the residents homes? The tennis courts are lit for most of the year. What is the problem with having lights on Thursdays through Saturdays for the main playing field, like most towns have. Do people think that their child won’t get cancer from playing on other towns artificial turf fields, if that is the uproar? This is the 21st century. Why are people against so many situations that prohibit their children to physically compete like other towns do?
I rate sports on the same level as academics. It makes children well rounded and helps give them confidence that spreads to all activities. They can all perform service through sports to raise money or help the disadvantaged. Texas and Florida and everywhere else believes in academics and sports. They all succeed. Why can’t Chappaqua? No one believes that a child from Chappaqua can ever become a pro. Not that that is the most important thing in life, but why have any restrictions?
