STEPPING DOWN
Ronalds had 55-27 record in 7 seasons with Pirates; cites time with family, his health.
Palisades head football coach Kevin Ronalds has told his team that he is leaving coaching after 30 years on the sidelines.
One year ago this week, Kevin Ronalds was preparing his Palisades High School football team to play Notre Dame-Green Pond in the District 11 3A semifinals.
His team won that game 42-8, then defeated Lehighton 48-42 a week later for the District 11 3A championship.
On Wednesday, however, Ronalds had a very different meeting with his kids.
He told them he was stepping down as head coach.
“I can’t put a finger on any one thing for resigning, but after 30 years of coaching and now having a grandson who was born this summer, I just thought it was time to take a break,” Ronalds said. “I also want to take a little better care of myself. There’s a lot of stress in a job like this.”
Ronalds, who was hired as Pirates head coach in December of 2011, went 55-27 in seven seasons. His teams made back-to-back district tournament appearances in 2016 and last year, when the team went 13-0 before losing to Conwell Egan Catholic in the state semis.
The year’s team went 8-3, but missed out on a return to the district playoffs. The Pirates wrapped up the season with a 38-0 win over Schuylkill Valley in the Eastern Conference playoffs Friday night.
In the two seasons before Ronalds took over, the Pirates were 3-17.
“Kevin really works hard and he gave Palisades everything he’s got,” said athletic director and former Palisades and Whitehall football coach Brian Gilbert. “He left the program in better shape than he found it. We appreciate what Kevin has done for the football team, the coaches and community. He has done a great job in all of those areas and he will be missed.”
Ronalds had been the head coach at Allen from 1997-2006 and went 34-69.
The 1985 Pen Argyl graduate had also been an assistant coach at Yale, Wilkes and Kutztown prior to taking the Allen job.
After leaving Allen, he became defensive coordinator at Palisades from 2007-09 on a staff headed by Gilbert.
For two years after Gilbert left, Ronalds was a volunteer assistant on Paul Reduzzi’s staff at Pen Argyl.
“That might have been the most fun I’ve ever had coaching,” Ronalds said.
He said he would like to coach again in the right situation, but said he wants to take the 2019 season off.
“I don’t plan on coaching next season and doubt I can be lured back,” he said. “I want to spend time with my family, including my new grandson, and maybe go watch some of the kids that we’ve had come through the program play college football. We’ve got a bunch of them playing right now. And since I will be 52 next year, I need to take care of myself a little bit.”
Ronalds resigned on Monday and told his team of his decision on Wednesday after Palisades students had off on Tuesday because of Election Day.
“I’ve been year-to-year on this job for a while,” he said. “Every year I sit down and think about it. I was 30 years old when I took over at Allen and I can tell the difference. I’m not 30 years old anymore. The stress of the season can wear you down and I need to handle it better.”
Ronalds said he didn’t leave the cupboard bare.
The Palisades junior varsity has gone undefeated the last two years.
“There’s a really good junior class coming up with a lot of talented kids that will be there next year,” Ronalds said.
Ronalds is proud of his role in making Palisades a place of prominence.
“We built up a really good program and it wasn’t just because of me,” he said. “There are so many people to thank for that. I’m amazed by the quality of coach we’ve been able to get here at this little school that’s kind of tucked out of the way. All of my assistants have contributed. They all took pride in doing their jobs. The job was done right and on time. I never had to think twice. I don’t think every staff has that.”
Gilbert said the goal will be to hire a coach who will continue the program’s recent stint of success.
“Kevin is leaving the program in great shape,” Gilbert said. “Whoever comes in will find a program that’s going well and be put in position to continue our success.”
Ronalds said that sometimes change is good.
“It could give everybody a shot of energy,” he said. “A little newness, a new direction, a new voice … it can be good for everybody.”
Ronalds wil remain a social studies teacher at the school.
“We have great kids here,” Ronalds said. “For the last seven years, I’ve been fortunate enough to be their head coach. Now I intend to be their biggest fan.”