Cassidy tabbed as B-A’s next hoops coach
Pat Cassidy was approved by the school board as the new Bellwood-Antis boys basketball coach at a meeting last week.
October 14, 2019
Huntingdon girls basketball coach Pat Cassidy was approved on Tuesday to be the new head coach for the Bellwood-Antis boys varsity basketball team.
Coach Pat Cassidy comes to Bellwood-Antis after coaching the girls program in Huntingdon.
“We are very excited to have Coach Cassidy on staff here at BASD. His enthusiasm and vision for the program is contagious and I look forward to the direction he will take the boys team in the future” said B-A Athletic Director Mr. Charlie Burch.
Cassidy will be replacing Kevin Conlon, who was the boys head coach for the past two years.
It’s the second coaching change in the last three seasons. Brent Gerwert stepped down in 2016-2017 after nine seasons.
Conlon had to step down from the position due to a promotion at Drayer that involved a lot of traveling and would no longer give him the time to coach basketball.
In Conlon’s two years coaching at Bellwood he held a record of (33-16), and in his last season he helped lead the Blue Devils to the District 6 semifinals and the ICC championship game.
In his four years in Huntingdon, Cassidy led the Lady Bearcats to a (45-47) record, including an appearance in the District 6 4A title game last season.
Coaching boys at B-A will be a change but Cassidy thinks it’s the right move.
“Fitting in is always an unknown, but I am hoping that I fit right in! From everyone that I have talked to and spoke with it seems as though it will be a great fit for me.” said,Coach Cassidy. “In regards to my previous season(s) coaching I do think that this year will present new challenges, as every year does. I think that the first step to finding success is getting to know the guys on the team.”
Expectations are high going into the season for the Blue Devils after 2018-2019, when they won the ICC North and made a run in the District playoffs before suffering a tough loss to Ligonier Valley in the semi-finals.
Cassidy, who is an elementary teacher at Standing Stone Elementary in Huntingdon, said sign-ups will be taking place in the next couple of weeks. He said the team will also be in need of a couple managers.
