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Zimmerman resigns as season begins
By JAMAL THALJI, Times Staff Writer
NEW PORT RICHEY -- Gary Zimmerman, who built Ridgewood into a county powerhouse, resigned as coach Monday. Zimmerman, the 2002 Pasco County Coach of the Year, said he resigned after six seasons for personal reasons. After contemplating the move for weeks, Zimmerman said he arrived at a decision Friday and told his players before practice. They asked him to reconsider. Athletic director Gary Anders also tried to talk Zimmerman out of it, but the coach made up his mind Monday, the first day of the regular season. "I still love coaching basketball," Zimmerman said. "But right now it just isn't what I want to do. "I'm going to miss the kids who I was coaching this year. This team has some special kids on this group." Softball coach and boys assistant basketball coach Greg Bollinger was named interim coach and was on the bench when for the Rams' season-opening win over Gulf. The school is required to conduct a public search for the job, and applications are being accepted through Friday. Bollinger has applied for the permanent job. "The girls were very emotional about it, and they asked me to think about it and reconsider it," Zimmerman said. "I spent the weekend considering it, and Monday morning I let coach Anders know it was time to get out." Zimmerman said he will remain a teacher at the school, continue as junior varsity football coach and attend Rams games this season. Anders said the coach will be missed. "I hate to see him go," Anders said. "He's obviously done an outstanding job here." As for the timing, Anders said, "(Zimmerman) realizes it was a difficult time." Zimmerman leaves with a 354-223 career record stretching back to his days coaching boys and girls basketball at Carlton High School in Saginaw, Mich. After six seasons, he moved to Florida in 1981. He taught at River Ridge, then moved to Ridgewood in 1996 and took over the girls basketball program. Under Zimmerman, the Rams have gone 110-54 the past six seasons, won four consecutive district titles and three consecutive Sunshine Athletic Conference championships. Last year, Ridgewood went a school-record 25-6 and won the second playoff game in school history. "The success that Ridgewood basketball girls have had is fantastic," principal Art O'Donnell said. "That's what's so disappointing, and the shock. I was flabbergasted when Gary Anders told me on Friday that Gary Zimmerman was thinking about this." Zimmerman's departure has resulted in a shuffling of coaching positions. Former freshman girls coach Joe Kelly will sit next to Bollinger as his new top assistant and will take over as the junior varsity coach, replacing Jim Bertollo who resigned to pursue other interests. Jen Molby is the new girls freshman coach. Replacing Bollinger as Anders' top assistant on the boys varsity is former freshman boys coach Joe Breinig, who will also take over the boys junior varsity. Volunteer coach Jason Szysmanski is the new freshman boys coach.
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