It's official. Veteran baseball coach Parker Snare has coached his final game at North Hunterdon.
Athletic director John Deutsch confirmed via e-mail on Thursday that the school is conducting a search for Snare's successor.
"Parker Snare has had a wonderful 33-year career as a baseball coach at North Hunterdon High School, affecting the lives of many students during his tenure," Deutsch said in a written statement. "Parker retired from our district in June 2010 and we agreed to have him coach one last season, therefore providing him the chance to reach the milestone of 500 career wins, which he did. We were very happy for him that he was able to finish his final season with 501 total career wins. We wish coach Snare all the best in his future endeavors.
"We will be hiring a new head coach soon and we will be looking to take our baseball program in a new direction."
Snare guided the Lions to a 13-13 mark this past season and earned his 500th career victory in the team's 11-9 win over Montgomery on June 2. According to one source, Snare was told mid-May that he would not be brought back for a 33rd season in 2012. It was reported here several weeks ago that Snare may not be rehired for next season.
Snare, who is on vacation, also was unavailable for comment. The coach reportedly informed his team that he would not return next season after the Lions' 18-2 win over Hopatcong in the season finale on June 6.
Snare, a 1969 graduate of North Hunterdon and former standout athlete, retired from teaching at the end of the 2009-10 school year and, according to a source, someone in-house has applied for the position.
Under Snare, North Hunterdon went 501-284-2 overall. This season, the Lions went 1-1 in the North 2, Group 4 playoffs -- beating Bayonne, 4-2, in the opening round before a 6-3 loss at Woodbridge in the quarterfinals.
Last year, North Hunterdon was bounced in the opening round with a 5-2 loss to Piscataway after missing the playoffs for the first time ever in 2009. In 2008, North made a great run to the Group 4 final after capturing the program's third sectional championship (winning Central Jersey, Group 3 titles in 2001 and '03).
The Lions also won or shared nine conference titles and captured two Hunterdon-Warren titles ('96, '99) under Snare.
After Snare's 500th win, the school issued a press release in which Hughes and Deutsch had high praise for the veteran coach.
"Parker has been like a brother to me and he has been a dedicated employee of the North Hunterdon-Voorhees school district as a physical/health education for teacher for 31 and coach for 32 years," Hughes said. "Mr. Snare has always had a positive rapport with our staff, parents and students. Reaching this historic goal couldn't have happened to a better guy."
"I an proud of coach Snare's perseverance in achieving this momentous goal in his career," Deutsch said in the release. "Mr. Snare has spent many untold hours during his coaching tenure with our student athletes and providing a positive experience for all of them. Coach Snare has had a great group of kids in the Hunterdon County community every year. Coach Snare falls under a small elite group of NJ coaches to obtain 500 wins and this is truly a history day in North history."
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