In the current era of high school sports, coaching teeters on the edge of being a year-round job.

Brian Madigan and Craig Farrar wanted the time for other things, as the baseball coaches at Wadsworth and Cloverleaf resigned to pursue other interests.

Madigan is close to obtaining his administrative license, while Farrar, who led Steubenville Central Catholic to a 1994 state championship, is retiring to spend more time with his family.

“I’ve been in baseball for 28 years now and at the school for 13,” Madigan said. “I think we all eventually move on in life and we have different goals.

“I was lucky enough to have the experience to come back home and coach. For that, I’m really grateful. It was a tough decision.”

A Wadsworth graduate and three-year letterwinner at Baldwin-Wallace College, Madigan resigns after six seasons. He compiled a 79-78 mark that featured four winning seasons, with the 2008 team recording 21 wins and a second-place finish in the Suburban League.

Madigan feels Wadsworth is definitely heading in the right direction, and wanted to step down quickly so an adequate search for a new coach can take place. After a slow start this spring, the Grizzlies won 10 of 13 games at one point and have a talented sophomore class ready to step into bigger roles.

“We’ve got some young kids on the roster with experience,” he said. “They’ll be ready to go for the next coach.”

In Farrar’s case, the news isn’t exactly breaking, as he told his players before the season it was a swan song.

The Colts secured Farrar’s 200th career win with an 11-3 pasting of Streetsboro on May 14 en route to a disappointing 11-15 record that secured the school’s 24th consecutive losing season.

Farrar, who could not be reached for comment, finished his 10-year Cloverleaf career with an 81-179 record.

“We appreciate the years of commitment of trying to improve Cloverleaf baseball,” athletic director Craig Walkup said.

Contact Albert Grindle at (330) 721-4043 or agrindle@medina-gazette.com.

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