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Kenny Named Athletic Director At Bishop McLaughlin

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A Tribune staff report

Published: June 10, 2008

Saint Leo University Assistant Athletic Director for External Operations/Sports Information Eddie Kenny has been named athletic director at Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School.

Kenny replaces Mike Zelenka, who accepted an assistant principal position at Christ the King School in Tampa.

Kenny came to Saint Leo in 2006 from Nova Southeastern University where he served as Sports Information Coordinator for three years and was an intern for one year prior to that. While at NSU, Kenny helped the sports information department win numerous publication awards while also becoming the first school in the SSC to utilize Internet broadcasting.

Kenny holds a bachelor of science degree in communications from Florida International University and a master's of sports management from Nova Southeastern. He and wife Wendy reside in Zephyrhills.

Zelenka, who also coached football, girls soccer and softball during his tenure, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Notre Dame in liberal studies, also completed the school's two-year Alliance for Catholic Education program.

NEW DUTIES FOR NEWTON: It took Keith Newtown 37 years of coaching, two schools and two states before he could add the title "head baseball coach" to his resume. Hudson tapped Newton as its new baseball coach last Monday, replacing Vince Ferlita, who resigned in May to spend time with his family after four seasons.

"The surprising thing was it was probably the sport I played the most growing up," said Newton, who once coached in Georgia. "I played from when I was 8 years old up until I was 20. I finished out at St. Pete Community College. I played football in high school, but that was as far as I'd gone. I could have gone either way, it just turned out football was the first offer."

Newtown, the Hudson football defensive coordinator, was the Hudson JV baseball coach the past three seasons. Prior to that, Newtown spent nine seasons as the Gulf football coach and more than 10 years as a Bucs assistant before that. He also spent two seasons as a Gulf JV coach. Before his time at Gulf, Newton led Hudson's football team to a 9-1 record and the program's first district title in 1979. Making the baseball job even sweeter is the fact Newton, who has also coached wrestling, golf, boys and girls weightlifting, and track, will coach his two sons, Hunter and Tanner, who will be a senior and sophomore, respectively.

NEW JOB FOR CAPARASO: Former Pasco High football coach Dale Caparaso has been named the new football coach at Spoto.

Caparaso replaces Scott Palmer, who officially resigned after two seasons concluding this year's spring practice. He inherits a team that went 3-7 last year.

"It's exciting," Caparaso said. "There's a lot of potential out there. Scottie did a good job over there getting those kids ready."

Caparaso was relieved of his duties at Pasco following his fourth season in 2006, in which the Pirates went 3-7. In his first two seasons, he led the Pirates to consecutive playoff appearances. Last season, he was the defensive coordinator at Brandon and had the same position at Bloomingdale this spring.

Although he hasn't had time to actually look at film and evaluate the current players at Spoto, Caparaso is positive they will be solid defensively.

"We will run our defense like we did at Brandon with the 4-4 formation and we will get at people," he said. "I see a lot of the same athletic ability in Spoto."

Caparaso said he will hold an open team meeting Thursday afternoon inside Spoto's cafeteria.

"I'm happy about it," he said. "Coaching is something I've done for a lot of years and it's a passion of mine."

DRAFT HIGHLIGHTS: Ridgewood 2004 graduate John Servidio was the New York Mets' 26th-round pick of the MLB First-Year Draft. Servidio hit .366 with 14 home runs, 69 RBIs and four triples in his senior year at Barry University. ... Saint Leo catcher Braulio Pardo signed with the Los Angeles Angels. Pardo was selected in the 12th round (379th overall) by the Angels in Friday's MLB amateur draft. Pardo was a first-team All-Sunshine State Conference pick after hitting .356 for the Lions.

Rick Harmon, Eddie Daniels, Adam Adkins

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