By Dan King
Coaching football at Whitehall High School has been a hot-button topic for more than a year, and it’s not calming down yet.
Defensive coordinator Neil Hughes stepped down from his position this past weekend, taking a coaching job at Fair Haven, Vt.
Hughes told head coach Dick Gould on Saturday that he would accept a position with the Slaters, leaving a vacancy at defensive coordinator for the Railroaders.
Hughes was one of four applicants for the Whitehall head coaching position, along with Gould and former head coaches Justin Culligan and John Millett. Gould was suggested as head coach by the administration last month and appointed by a 7-1 board vote. At that time Hughes was to be kept on as defensive coordinator.
“After not getting the head coach position after eight seasons as defensive coordinator, I decided it was time to move on,” Hughes said. “I talked to (Fair Haven) indirectly during the winter.”
Hughes said he was contacted Thursday by Brian Grady, the Slaters head coach, and went for an interview on Friday; he informed Gould of his decision on Saturday. He will be the linebackers and special teams coach for Fair Haven, but said he will still be around to support the Railroaders.
“I’ll be there rooting them on Saturdays, because we play Friday nights,” Hughes added. “It wasn’t an easy decision; my son will still be a part of the Whitehall program and I wish them the best of luck.”
Hughes added that he plans to “keep the schedule for the team’s summer lifting program” at the Whitehall Athletic Club.
With Hughes gone, the varsity coaching staff now consists of Gould as head coach, Jason Hoagland as offensive coordinator and Justin Millett as an assistant coach.
Attempts to reach Gould about his plans for replacing Hughes were unsuccessful.
In addition to Hughes stepping down, the Railroaders do not yet have a definitive answer as to who will coach the junior varsity team. Junior varsity coach Bob Diekel retired from his teaching position this year and has not declared whether he will coach or not.
The drama around coaching football in Whitehall dates back to last summer, when the board of education voted against nominating Culligan to his position. The board then held an emergency meeting just prior to the start of the season, where it reversed its decision and nominated Culligan. Then, in October, Culligan was fired by the board directly after winning the Section II Class D championship in a game marred by a scuffle. At that time, Gould, Hughes and Hoagland took on joint coaching responsibilities.
Whitehall kicks off its season with a home game on Saturday, Sept. 5 against Canajoharie.