Kevin McFarland steps down after one season with Hamburg Hawks
Kevin McFarland always considered himself a pinch-hitter when it came to coaching basketball on the varsity level at Hamburg. He knew from the beginning he was going to take one swing, then leave.
It came as no surprise Thursday when McFarland announced his resignation after one season as Hawks’ boys basketball coach.
He accepted the job just weeks before the season because the team, which included his son Kevin III and many players whom McFarland coached at the youth and junior high levels, needed a coach.
The Hawks enjoyed their best season in more than a decade and were in the running at midseason for a spot in the District 3 Tournament. They finished 10-12 overall and in third place in Division III of the Berks Conference.
“I took the position because our young men were in need of positive, stable coaching staff to lead them into a season that started off with a lot of uncertainty,” McFarland said in a statement. “As I’ve said since I took the position, wins and losses weren’t going to be the measurement of whether the season was a success.
“Our success was measured by the smiles in the locker room, the bonding over team meals and big moments like carrying the manager across the gym after he received a uniform before our final game. These are the reasons I took this position. I knew these young men were capable of a memorable season.”
Despite the uncertainly – after two head coaches resigned in the months just before the season began — the Hawks started fast, winning their first four games. They were 7-3 at midseason and 9-5 in mid-January before a losing streak knocked them out of playoff contention.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better team, coaching staff, and community,” McFarland said, “but most of all I couldn’t have been more appreciative of the family support. I appreciate the opportunity to coach these young men. (They) brought an energy to the gym on Hawk Hill that has been missing for some time.”
Athletic director Aaron Menapace, who tried to coax McFarland into taking the job several times in the past, was appreciative he was able to fill the void, even for one year.
“Kevin and his staff made great strides and got us pointed in the right direction,” Menapace said. “As the AD and parent of a senior in the program, I am thankful Kevin stepped up to lead the program.
“He was able to bring in a staff that believed in teaching more than basketball, and was holistic in their approach.”
McFarland’s son Kevin is a senior and averaged 13.6 points per game, second on the team. McFarland said being able to coach his son again was a special opportunity.
“The joy I felt coaching my son cannot be expressed in words,” McFarland said. “We were able to spend a huge portion of his basketball career together prior to high school, and this was the perfect ending.”
McFarland coached in Hamburg’s middle school program for nine years prior to taking the varsity job.
He currently works as a home and school visitor for Tilden Elementary.
McFarland grew up in Pottsville, where he was a top player on the Crimson Tide’s Schuylkill League championship team as a junior and led them in scoring as a senior in 1993-94. He went on to score over 1,300 points at Bloomsburg University.
