Wrestling: Stay steps down as Millville coach

Scott Stay grappled with the idea for some time.

Earlier this week, after 14 years as head wrestling coach at Millville High School, Stay handed in his resignation. He will remain a health/physical education and nutrition teacher at the school.

“It was just time,” Stay said. “For the first time in 30 years, I won’t be in a wrestling room when the season starts. It’s going to be different.

“At the end of every season, the thought goes through your mind. It’s a long season, a lot of long Saturdays. It wears on you.”

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Known for his hands-on approach with technique and his wealth of wrestling knowledge, Stay produced over 150 wins during his 14-year tenure. His best season came in 2013 when the Thunderbolts established a program record for wins in a season (18) and qualified for the playoffs for the first time in 15 years and was named Region 8 Coach of the Year.

“Scott gave our wrestling program stability when we needed it the most,” Millville athletic director Dave LaGamba said. “We had gone through several coaches in a very short period of time. He came in and got the program going in the right direction. He did a great job.”

Stay, 41, succeeded LaGamba before the 2003-2004 season.

Stay said he’s trading in the long Saturdays around the mats for time with his wife and young daughter.

While Stay didn’t mention any specific moments from matches over the years, it was what happened off the mat that he was most proud of.

“I hope that I was able to make an impact on a lot of these kids lives,” he said. “Those are the positive things I think about.

“Kids that went through our program, graduated and moved onto college. Wrestlers like Deron Sharp and Tony Vorndran who came back and worked as coaches. Guys like Ed Shockley (a state placewinner with Millville), who is doing very well in football (at Villanova University). I’d like to think that wrestling helped him, even if it was a small part, to develop his work ethic and discipline.”

Stay began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of North Carolina before coaching for four years at William Tennent High School in Pennsylvania. He was an assistant coach at Millville before earning the head coaching job.

LaGamba said a search for a new coach would begin immediately.

Tom McGurk; (856) 486-2420; tmcgurk@gannettnj.com