Paul Cronin has change of heart, will remain Cardinal Newman High School coach

In a stunning turnaround, football coach Paul Cronin has reversed his decision to leave Cardinal Newman for Windsor High, deciding to remain with the Cardinals as head coach of the program he’s led for 14 years.

Cronin, 43, was planning this week to box up his years of memories at the private Catholic school north of Santa Rosa and move a few miles north to begin a coaching-teaching job at Windsor.

But Tuesday morning, Cronin alerted Windsor officials he will stay at Newman, canceling their agreement that was to take effect Feb. 14.

After initially denying a move was in the works, on Feb. 1 Cronin acknowledged rumors that persisted on-again, off-again - that he was leaving his successful program at Newman to coach the Jaguars, while also teaching at the school closer to his family’s home.

But Cronin had a change of heart over the weekend and made his decision public Tuesday morning, calling a few friends and notifying Windsor Principal Marc Elin.

“He was given a job offer that would have gone into effect on the 14th of February,” Elin said midday Tuesday. “I just found out today he has decided to say at Cardinal Newman.”

Cronin met Tuesday afternoon with Newman principal Graham Rutherford and President Laura Held to agree on his return.

Afterward, Cronin conceded his back-and-forth left many people dissatisfied.

Since the decision to leave was announced, he said his daughter was unhappy at school, his son felt a little anti-Newman and his oldest daughter was disappointed she wouldn’t continue through the school system she’d always known.

“It was horrible,” he said. “From Friday on, my whole weekend, I felt like a bad father and a bad person. That wasn’t fun. In view of teenagers, I hope to be positive and help them make positive decisions. I messed that up with my children. I felt super bad.”

His wife, Tracey, too, was conflicted. She initially spearheaded the move to Windsor.

In the past, Cronin had received offers to coach in Southern California at higher-profile schools. But they turned down the offers because they love living here, even though those moves would have meant more money.

“She said, ‘I’m tired of you turning down things that are better financially for the family … You make these decisions always favoring Newman.’ And I do,” he said.

“She essentially said, ‘We have to do this for the family.’ I said, you’re right. I love my wife and we make decisions together,” he said.

But then a mother of a football player spoke with Tracey Cronin on Friday night, he said, and explained how important the coach has been to young Newman players, including her son.

By Sunday night, Tracey Cronin was back on Newman’s side.

“She said, ‘I think that’s where you belong. They love you,’” Cronin said.

Cronin’s move was the most surprising of a number of Sonoma County coaching changes announced in the past few weeks.

The Windsor job came open when Tom Kirkpatrick left after concluding that the school was moving toward hiring a full-time teacher/coach. Ed Conroy retired after 28 seasons at Rancho Cotate, Daniel Bourdon stepped down at Analy to spend more time with his family, and Casa Grande relieved Trent Herzog of his duties.

Most in the coaching community were surprised to hear Cronin’s name in the mix of changes.

“I have never felt he wanted to go and we certainly didn’t want him to go,” Rutherford said. “Just as he said he had to make the best decision for his family (to go), I believe the family ?was involved in the decision to stay.”

In 14 seasons, Cronin has led the Cardinals to seven North Bay League championships or co-championships and five North Coast Section titles, including the most recent Division 4 title.

Cardinal teams under Cronin have twice advanced to a CIF state championship game, losing both times, in 2006 and 2008.

But the promise of financial stability for his family was a strong draw to Windsor, Cronin acknowledged last week.

The Catholic high school formerly offered paid tuition for faculty members’ children. But three years ago, the administration announced it would pay only half of the almost $15,000 per year tuition.

The Cronins’ three children, Jackson, 9, Madison, 10, and Haley, 13, all attend St. Rose Catholic School near Newman.

Several sources also said Windsor’s public school salary and retirement package outpaced what Cronin had at Newman.

Rutherford declined to detail any incentives Cronin may have been offered to remain.

“We are working with our normal contract procedures, making sure we listen to his concerns,” he said. “All that stuff is private, for him to reveal what he wants to say.

“I certainly don’t feel that we were in any way luring him with money,” Rutherford said. “Other people might do that.”

Elin also said he knew of no pot-sweeteners from Newman: “Paul didn’t elaborate and he didn’t tell me. I wanted to respect his decision.”

Though disappointed he would have to find another new coach, Elin acknowledged Cronin’s long history with Cardinal Newman.

“He’s had a lot of years there. Clearly they value him,” he said. “So there was a lot of discussion I’m sure, not only with Paul and the school but Paul and his family.”

Cronin said he didn’t bargain for a better tuition rate for his children.

“We’re going to work with the school and do what every other teacher does,” he said. “This isn’t about me being a bully or me being more important than this or that person.”

He said he does regret misleading anyone.

“Do you mislead someone for a day, or a full year or two until you leave that spot?” he said. “They (Windsor) need to have a coach who is truly what they’re about. That’s what I feel bad about, that people got hopeful, hopeful that we could build a relationship. I regret that. But I feel love for the Newman community and that’s what it came down to.”