Salem CC adds 4

Mighty Oaks bring in new, familiar faces to join their coaching staffs as assistants

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

CARNEYS POINT – Salem CC cross country coach Ashley Johnson remembers sharing a bus with Tom Mason when their Pennsville and Penns Grove high school teams competed in the same faraway championship meets. Now, they’re back on the bus together as coaching colleagues.

Mason, longtime Salem County track and cross country coach, has been approved as Johnson’s assistant coach for the coming season.

Call it a double full-circle moment because Mason started the Salem CC cross country program when “I had hair” during the college’s first run sponsoring athletics.

“It is full circle,” he said. “It’s bringing me back, the circle’s complete, but the main I took the job was Ashley, because what a fantastic person she is and what a great experience I had coaching against her. It’s going to be fun to get back to it.”

Mason was one of four new assistants the college board of trustees approved at its Feb. 19 meeting.

His 44-year high school coaching career (126 seasons) includes nearly 400 wins, four state team titles, six South Jersey sectional titles, 15 Salem County crowns and nearly 70 individual and relay state champions. He was inducted into the Salem County Sports (2011) and New Jersey Scholastic Coaches (2016) hall of fames. He also once served on the Salem CC board of trustees and is currently a member of the Pennsville School Board.

Courtney Gallo and Mike Kerns will join Andrea Bartlett’s volleyball staff. Gallo is a former Chestnut Hill player and Kerns is the swim coach at Camden Academy Charter.

Angel Velez is back with the baseball team after two seasons as a player. The catcher-DH was the Mighty Oaks’ hottest hitter in the second half of last season.