A New Jersey high school baseball head coach has been removed from his team midseason, with little known of the exact reasoning behind his sudden removal, according to a report by NJ.com.
Per the report, Burlington (NJ) Burlington Township baseball coach Steve Hovart has been removed at the midway point of the season by Burlington Township School District for reasons currently unknown at this time. The Falcons are currently 8-11 on the season as they head into the home stretch of the spring campaign.
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“Due to the confidential nature of personnel matters, we are legally restricted from disclosing specific details even to the parties involved,” Burlington Township superintendent Dr. Mary Ann Bell said via the NJ.com report.
The report goes on to the state that the school district rushed in to replace Hovart with the assistant athletic director Andrew Ellis for the interim position as the team has eight games to go in the regular season. With little to go off of in reasoning why Hovart is no longer with the team for the time being, Burlington Township will continue its season.
Per NJ.com, Hovart was in the middle of his ninth season at the helm of the Burlington Township baseball program, compiling an overall record of 78-76. This is the second time a longtime New Jersey high school baseball coach has been replaced abruptly this season.
Late last month, longtime Mainland Regional head coach Joe Smith abruptly stepped down after one game from his position citing personal reasons.
A report by NJ.com stated that Smith’s then-resignation may have come from an incident involving the baseball program during a preseason trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, providing no further details regarding what possibly occurred.
Smith proved to be one of the best in South Jersey, with the former Mainland Regional head coach compiling a 284-129-1 mark. According to the report, Smith is currently the 10th winningest coach in South Jersey high school baseball history.
With state mainstays like Smith and Hovart, South Jersey high school baseball has had multiple sudden changes this season and both come with very few clues when it comes to exactly why they’re no longer with their respective programs.