Windsor High School parts ways with football coach, athletic director

Windsor High School is looking to replace its athletic director and its new football coach, fresh on the heels of its basketball and soccer coaches resigning earlier this year.

Former Athletic Director Jeff Hardie, in the position for five years, will remain at the school as a resource teacher, helping students with learning disabilities navigate their schoolwork.

Football coach Kevin Ballatore, who was hired just last season, is out as both coach and teacher, Hardie said. Ballatore taught PE, health and shared athletic director duties with Hardie.

Hardie said he couldn’t be more specific about the personnel moves.

Principal Stacy Desideri didn’t return messages seeking comment.

No replacements have been named for all four athletic department positions.

“I know they’ve advertised for the (AD) position, but I have no idea who is going to do it, so it falls on admin for now,” Hardie said.

Ballatore couldn’t be reached for comment Thursday afternoon.

These changes come after the announcement in April that six-year boys basketball coach Travis Taylor was taking a break from high school coaching, while boys soccer coach Andres Flores also declined to return for a third season.

All four staffing changes were individual decisions, Hardie said, not part of an overhaul of the department.

Windsor will now be on the lookout for its fourth football coach in five years.

In 2014, the school let go Vic Amick, who’d been at the helm for three years. Veteran local coach Tom Kirkpatrick filled in for two years, but left after hearing a replacement was being interviewed.

That replacement was Paul Cronin from Cardinal Newman, who agreed to take a coaching and teaching job at Windsor. But within a week, Cronin announced he was staying put, reopening the Windsor position.

Ballatore accepted the Jaguars’ job, moving north after seven years at Santa Rosa Junior College, two as offensive coordinator for the Bear Cubs. He also coached the quarterbacks for four years and receivers for two. He had taught and coached at the college since 2007.

Last year, Ballatore led the Jaguars to a 5-6 overall record, 2-3 in the North Bay League. In the North Coast Section playoffs, the team was seeded fifth, and won two games before running into No. 1 Campolindo and losing, 45-14, in the section semifinal game. Campolindo went on to win the section title.

You can reach staff writer Lori A. Carter at 707-521-5470 or lori.carter@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @loriacarter.