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’s 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.

On Wednesday, he confirmed his acceptance of the Woodstown High School spring track coaching job, which won’t conflict with the Salem CC post. It’ll give him a chance to impart his wisdom on the Wolverines’ dominant middle distance runners and resume the run for 400 wins (he needs four).

“Coaching in Salem County was one of the best coaching memories I’ve had and the coaching world in Salem County seemed like family,” Johnson said. “Working with the best — Geoff Shute, John Maniglia and Justin Simmons — at Pennsville turned into becoming friendly with Tom … All the coaches I’ve coached with and against became family.

“The best part is when I left I remained in touch with those coaches and seeing them months or even years later we picked up where we left off. Before I took over Salem CC the first person that came to mind was Tom Mason. He started this program, he’s a Salem County and New Jersey legend, and I had to reach out. I am beyond excited to be work with him. We click, he’s got a ton of energy and a very impressive resume.”

And he’s always been there at her biggest moments.

“Tom came to Pennsville when one of our runners was signing to run for him at SCC (in 2019),” Johnson recalled. “I’ll never forget that day because immediately after the signing Geoff Shute and athletic director Adam Slusher drove me home because a few hours later I gave birth to my daughter, Scarlett.”

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

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.