Following an 18-3 season that was the best in program history by any measure, Putnam Valley boys basketball coach Ed Wallach was told he will not return.
Wallach, in his second season with the Tigers, coached the team to its first two playoff victories and its first County Center appearance in its 10 years of existence. Putnam Valley’s previous high-win total was seven. Wallach’s team hit that mark in 2011-12, his first season, and had surpassed it by Jan. 5 of this year.
“We went from 7-11 to 18-3, but I guess I didn’t improve the team,” Wallach said.
Wallach said he learned of his firing from Putnam Valley’s first-year athletic director Marty Nemecek on Friday after being given an evaluation. Wallach was surprised by the decision.
“His biggest complaint was that I didn’t do anything to teach the kids or improve them,” Wallach said. “We went 18-3 and had the first winning season in our history. I told him, ‘You have to be kidding me. You’re not even qualified to evaluate me.’”
Wallach — who also coached the varsity boys at Lakeland for 24 years, at Rye Country Day for five and Keio for four, and the varsity girls at Putnam Valley for one — is also a resident of the town. He coached the varsity softball team the last three years, but that ended abruptly on Friday as well. (The softball season begins official on Monday.)
“I don’t know how much I should’ve done,” Wallach said. “He thought I should’ve won the other two games I lost to Peekskill by three points and Pawling by three points.”
I’ll have more on this story as it develops.
“I guess I’m not competent,” said Wallach, whose teams made eight trips to the County Center. “I was capable for 37 years. I don’t know how all of a sudden I wasn’t capable.”
Putnam Valley’s success this season came almost entirely with underclassmen. The Tigers started one senior — forward Andres Soto — and did not have another senior in its eight-man rotation. Juniors Jelani Bell-Isaac and Zach Coleman were named all-section and sophomore Ryan Basso led the team in scoring at 14.8 points per game.
275 Comments
Hey Ray if your going to post anonymously ya’ll should at lease change your writing style a bit…..
Playing both sides of the fence is not normally your style either, hard when family can be affected by by having an opinion?
Ed didn’t bring up Fitzgerald 1st in this blog as someone tried to say PV Parent did numerous times.
Seems Fitzgerald had no complaints when Ed coached her daughter on Varsity, yes she was one of those kids that didn’t commit fully and missed for the play etc. She also had no problem with Ed giving her daughter a job for the summer at his camp. She also had no complaints when her husband asked Ed to help coach CYO nor did she have complaints when her son was brought up to Varsity with Ed as a 10th grader, while other athletes with more talent were either cut or left on JV. All of a sudden after several years of using him to her and her children’s advantage he doesn’t serve her needs anymore????? Or he is no longer a good coach???
Ed is what everyone professes him to be an arrogant, know it all, etc, however, he is about the kids most of all even with his rough exterior he never babies them. In his camp he allows them to be independent and responsible for themselves. He is not in it for the money (a little full of himself? yes…) He dedicated his time and knowledge and gives back to this community.
The athletic mess this district has become seems to all be what this Board of Ed has created, after all aren’t they ultimately the ones who hired these Superintendents, Athletic Directors, Coaches and Principals. Barbara Nuzzi has never been interested in the sports programs, how many athletic events have you seen her at in the last 8 plus years? Not to worry Ms. Fitzgerald’s son is a Junior I’d say she is done, her position has served her purposes, once he graduates.
Child first and foremost (this doesn’t pertain to all the children)
he sure had an opinion a few years ago!
Hey Mess; You seem to know who I am, so y’all should know I’d never post anything under an alias. So please refrain from assuming I would stoop to such a level.
Do yourselves all a favor and stop including Lou DeMello in your catfight. He is too smart and good for your little hornets nest. Chris Ward, too. These are seasoned professionals who people think a lot of. Pace should be calling them, not Putnam Valley.
Never did I assume anything. Just recognized the writing style as I’m sure others did as well. Didn’t accuse you of anything either so not sure why offense was taken?
Wow….do you really believe her goal on the BOE was so she could be so powerful? Please!! Personally I feel people with relatives in the school should not coach. Even if they don’t play the sport…looks good on a resume for college! See it leaves it wide open for many and anything to be said!
and do you really believe that people are so weak minded that one person could influence many with their own “personal feelings?”
actually what he said was…..”But let’s get to the real reason of my firing. Valerie Fitzgerald was upset because her son did not get enough playing time. she used her position as board president to bring about this change. what do you say to Dan Munson and Kevin Fitzsimmons who were the first and second players off the bench.”
absolutely ridiculous!!!
Atletic Mess;what do you mean you never assumed. You put Ray’s name in your blog.As thet say in the armed forces jerk your head from your brown spot.
west hoops: maybe you should use your own advice however you need to remove yours from his brown spot
assuming he would stoop to such a level???? What level is he speaking of? Alias: a false name used to conceal one’s identity. Plain and simple he used a name other than his to post or is.
Who in their right mind would EVER take this job? PV is now the joke of NYS, and it is not because of the kids… It is also not because of the performance of the teams, which until this year has been poor. What happens when a team does well? Hmmm.
The coach comes on to defend himself and give an inside account of what really happened (something everybody else involved has stonewalled), offering some transparency, and he is again attacked by the same people who embraced his ouster.
Then some of those very same folks (comon) call repeatedly to close down the blog and blame Josh? These people are unbelievable – how do you exist in day to day life? What a bunch of cry babies. The sad part of this is that the coach is honestly better off out of that snakepit.
Perhaps an Art or History teacher with no athletic background will accept the job…
who else is involved?
he offered his perception and created a fire
Hey Mess, obviously your no NYPD Detective…...Ray was long gone by the time I arrived at LHS ….. I think he was rocking a mullet at a SUNY Upstate !!!! But wow…what an awesome compliment you bestowed upon me…comparing my writing style to an award winning Sports Journalist. Must have been a strong English Department in Shrub Oak back in the day. So yes Coach Wallach is tough, feisty, arrogant & stubborn….(he reminds me a lot of Mayor Bloomberg)...so what, those are all traits that many great leaders share. Much respect to all the High School coaches out there who have to deal with these insane Helicopter Parents !!!!!!
yeah ok
Hey Mess….your embarrassing yourself at this point !!!
LHS- you’re obviously another outsider whose info is based solely on what you’ve read on this site, or maybe what you’ve been told by upset friends/family members.
Good Morning TCB…Wow it sounds like your another frustrated Private Investigator….you go Kojack !!! I never claimed to be a Put Valley “Insider”.... although I did have my first beer at The Spruce !! The only insight that I attempted to bring to this Blog is my personal experience with Coach Wallach. I’ve know the man for over 30 years, he was very tough on me and my buddies….but he treated us like Men and I’ll take a charge for him any day !!!!!!
It was my 1st beer at the new Spruce too!!!
And we should all be ashamed to be on this site. It has done nothing but spread rumors, destroy friendships, and keep any hopes for peace in our community dismal. We’re all guilty of it.
I’m not ashamed at all, I’m actually very happy this blog exists. It allows a platform for me to express my respect and admiration for Coach Wallach while he deals with this outrageous injustice !!!!!
This blog has outlived its interest. Just a bunch of “I want the last word” posters here now. It’s over and there just isn’t anything that will change it.
Who didnt have their first beer at the spruce? For PV folk, throwing down your first cold one at the Spruce is as common as “recieving holy communion at the Indian Church”! True Story…...
I do the best Wallach impersonation.