Pergola returns to coach at Ringgold
Ringgold boys basketball hasn’t exactly been the elite program it once was: three wins this past winter, five the year before that and two in 2009-10.
That bothered California High School athletic director Phil Pergola, who grew up in Ringgold School District.
Enough, apparently, for Pergola to take on a rebuilding project entering his 44th year coaching high school basketball.
“I’m doing this for no other reason than that Ringgold is my home,” Pergola said.
Pergola coached at Ringgold from 1986-2004, winning a PIAA Class AAAA title in 1995 and compiling a record of 233-216. Overall, Pergola’s career record is 579-473.
Three familiar names will join Pergola at Ringgold: Jim Williams (varsity assistant), Chris DeBerardinis (junior varsity) and Rodney Taylor (volunteer assistant).
The plan, Pergola said, is to rebuild Ringgold’s program, then turn it over to someone else.
“The staff that I’m taking with me was there before, and we’re going back because we care about the program,” Pergola said. “We’re going back for the kids. We’d like to get it turned around. Then somebody else, maybe a younger guy on our staff, be able to take over, and move on from there.”
Whether Pergola remains as California’s athletic director, at least for the fall, remains up in the air.
“My superintendent wants me to,” Pergola said. “I’ll stay as long as they want me to. I’d definitely like to stay through the fall; with five sports going on, having someone come in here cold turkey, I don’t think that’s a good idea. But it’s going to be up to them. If they want me to stay, I’ll stay.”
Pete Logan had been Ringgold’s coach each of the past two years, compiling an 8-35 record during that span.
One change Pergola expects to implement right away is to move practice from 5 p.m. to immediately after school.
“I know there were some kids who didn’t play because coach Logan couldn’t practice until 5 o’clock at night,” Pergola said. “You leave high school and go back to Donora, go back to Finleyville, you might not have a ride back to the gym. We’ll be able to go every day after school. I think that will be the first positive step for the program.”
Pergola first inquired about the job as a “concerned alumni of the program.” After learning that experienced applicants had been few and far between, Pergola decided to add a boomerang-like final chapter to his career.
“California has treated me tremendously,” said Pergola, who led the Trojans to the Section 5-AA title in 2012-13. “I’ll be rooting for them. I’ll go watch them play when I can. I texted all my kids last night and got some wonderful texts back from them. I’m in their corner.
“I’m leaving for no other reason than I want to see the Ringgold program turn around.”
Also hired at Wednesday’s school board meeting was Laura Grimm, who replaces Nick Mandich as the school’s girls basketball coach.