Asbury Park, NJ Board of Ed coaching staff suspensions criticized
ASBURY PARK — The Asbury Park High School Blue Bishops will have a temporary head coach when they play Neptune in their annual Thanksgiving game.
The Board of Education voted Thursday to appoint Robert Ward as acting head coach of the high school football team for its final game of the season, superintendent RaShawn M. Adams told New Jersey 101.5 in an email.
Action was not scheduled to be taken on head coach Nick Famularo’s future beyond the football season after he was found naked and trespassing at the high school football stadium on Nov. 6 hours before a game.
Athletic Director Mark Gerbino, assistant football coach and paraprofessional Lamar Davenport and assistant football coach Matt Ardizzone were also placed on administrative leave by the Board of Education, according to coverage of the meeting by NJ.com.
Ardizzone's appointment as head wrestling coach was also rescinded by the board.
The three along, with Famularo, had been suspended since Nov. 8 "pending results of an investigation," according to the agenda which identified Gerbino, Davenport and Ardizzone by employee number only. Adams confirmed their suspension in his email.
"This still remains an open investigation and I have no comment about anything more than that due to personnel matters," Adams said.
Ardizzone assisted police the night of the incident. He also offered to take uniforms soiled with vomit and feces home to wash before the teams' playoff game, according to NJ.com.
Teacher Lynn Johnson, during the public comment section of the meeting, defended the three as being mentors to the team who had nothing to do with Famularo’s actions, according to NJ.com's coverage, while Asbury Park Education Association President John Napolitani called their suspensions "unprofessional."
Video of the meeting was not posted Friday morning on the district website.
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