By Jeff Odom
Former Wiregrass Ranch High baseball coach Jeff Swymer has been named to the same position at Bishop McLaughlin, the school said in an email on July 7.
The 32-year-old Swymer emerged as one of the top coaches in Pasco County last season when he led the Bulls to a runner-up finish in Class 7A-District 9 and their first playoff appearance in school history. Wiregrass defeated Countryside in the region quarterfinals and nationally ranked Steinbrenner in the semifinals, but fell to eventual state champion, Venice, in the finals.
However, Swymer’s future was put in jeopardy last month when he abruptly resigned upon facing a one-year suspension from coaching.
According to Pasco County schools spokeswoman Linda Cobbe, an anonymous letter was sent to the board saying that Swymer consumed alcohol with parent chaperones, while his players were present, at an evening event during a school-sponsored trip to a spring break tournament in March in Fort Lauderdale.
County policy states that teachers and/or coaches are not allowed, under any circumstances, to drink alcohol while on the clock.
Cobbe said Swymer later admitted to drinking to county officials and chose to step down, which sparked an outcry of support from parents and players on social media sites and a petition to have him reinstated that was later struck down by Superintendent Kurt S. Browning.
Bishop McLaughlin Dean of Students Joe Jasinski said in a release by the school that despite Swymer’s controversial exit from Wiregrass Ranch, he believed Swymer was the right man for the job.
“After an extensive search, coach Swymer emerged as the best candidate and the right fit for the program at this time,” Jasinski said. “We are excited to have a coach of his caliber to lead our baseball program and are excited for what he can bring to our school, our student-athletes and our baseball program.”
Swymer replaces former Hurricanes coach Tom LoSauro, who won the Class 3A state title with nationally ranked Fort Myers Bishop Verot, before taking the position at Bishop McLaughlin in 2011. LoSauro, who also served as the school’s athletic director, was released in May after finishing with a 30-23 overall record in two seasons that included one playoff berth in 2012.
–Follow Jeff Odom on Twitter @JOdomLaker
