Schalick football coach, a Group I sectional finalist the last two years, has resigned after five seasons ‘to pursue other opportunities’
By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News
PITTSGROVE – Mike Wilson, an old-school football coach who took Schalick from zero wins to regional contender, resigned Friday after five seasons at the school “to pursue other opportunities.”
He told the players earlier this morning. It was one of the hardest things he’s had to do in coaching, he said. “Definitely not easy.”
“I’m stepping away to pursue other opportunities,” he said. “This has nothing to do with the kids who play football. We’ll see what the future holds.”
Wilson declined to comment on what those “other opportunities” might be. He is said to be a leading candidate for the head coaching vacancy at Clearview, a position that is expected to come before its board next week. Clearview officials declined to comment on their search.
Schalick athletics director Doug Volovar said his school would work quickly to bring in a new coach who is “really going to take hold of what’s there and kind of run with it.” He suspects the opening will attract a large pool of quality candidates and he already has had “a lot of people reach out” in advance of the job being posted sometime next week.
Volovar has experience as a head football coach but is not expected to be a candidate.
“I’m disappointed that he’s leaving, obviously,” he said. “He built the program up after it was down a few years and did a really good job (of it). He created a good foundation for the school and the program moving forward and I think there’s an opportunity for someone new to build on what he’s leaving behind.
“It’s not as it was before when it was a little bit bare before. I think there’s more there and there’s a ton of talent coming back. There’s an opportunity for somebody to take the program and continue to make it grow.”
Schalick hadn’t had a winning season since 2016 prior to Wilson taking over the program in 2020 with fewer than 25 players on the roster. The Cougars didn’t win a game that first season, but he steadily increased their profile every year since, ultimately playing Glassboro for the Central Jersey sectional title in 2023 and again for the South Jersey crown this past season.
He leaves the program as its winningest coach in terms of percentage. He was 30-21 (.588) in his five seasons, 30-14 the last four years and 19-5 the last two. Their season wins total increased every season until this past year when the Cougars went a respectable 8-4 against the toughest schedule in Wilson’s tenure. The 2023 team started the season 11-0.
They played in the demanding WJFL Diamond Division this season and finished third; they won the Horizon Division each of the two previous years. Their four losses this past season came to three Group I sectional champions, including both state finalists – state champion Glassboro (twice), runner-up Cedar Grove in the season-opening Battle at the Beach and Woodstown.
The Cougars had more than 60 players across grades 9 through 12 this past season.
“We’re leaving it in a better spot than we came from a numbers point of view, from competitiveness, resources,” Wilson said. “Whoever gets to take over is taking over a football program. They’re going to have great kids, great talent. They’re going to be in a good spot.”
“We didn’t hit our ultimate goal, but considering where this program was on Day 1 Year 1 to where it is today, Mike accomplished a lot and there is certainly nothing to be ashamed of or apologize for,” special teams coordinator and team historian Frank Amar said. “I think we’re leaving it way better than we found it. Anybody who thinks otherwise knows as much about football as I know about quantum physics.
“Real football people, people who know and understand the game and what it takes to build a successful program, understand what Mike accomplished and why it was the right thing to do at this time.”
Volovar said that foundation, the quality of players coming back and the support for the program within the school makes the opening attractive.
“The cupboard’s far from bare; things have been established,” he said. “We have tons of kids who are coming back with a lot of potential to be right back in the mix of things like we were this year and last year.”
Wilson’s resignation leaves Salem County with only one head coach with more than one football season at their respective school — Pennsville’s Mike Healy. Woodstown (Frank Trautz), Penns Grove (Mark Maccarone) and Salem (Kemp Carr) all were hired within the past year.
“Mike’s and our style of coaching may not have been everybody’s cup of team, but the proof is in the pudding,” Amar said. “The success we sustained hasn’t been achieved at Schalick in 20 years and the reason we were able to reach those levels is because of what we tried to instill in our players — accountability, commitment, things like the year-round weight lifting program that enabled our guys to withstand the rigors of our schedule. The kinds of things lay people (complain) about is what made us who we are.
“When people think of South Jersey Group I football, Schalick is a part of the conversation. It didn’t happen by accident or luck. That was the result of the hard work and sacrifices made by the players and coaching staff. When the dust settles, that will be Mike’s ultimate legacy at Schalick.”
Schalick football coaches
| COACH | OVERALL | PCT. | PLAYOFFS |
| Mike Wilson | 30-21 | .588 | 4-3 |
| Josh Hedgeman | 37-27 | .578 | 6-1 |
| Seth Brown | 84-68 | .552 | 2-10 |
| Al DeJulio | 39-51-1 | .433 | |
| Ed Denton | 5-12-1 | .244 | |
| Mike McGowan | 5-57-1 | .080 | |
| Vince Tartaglione | 0-18 | .000 |
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