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FAIRFIELD, Conn. Rico Brogna resigned as head coach of the Notre Dame-Fairfield High School football team after one season at the helm, the school announced in a press release. The former Major League Baseball player steps down just six days before the start of training camp.
The school also announced that associate head coach Dawon Dicks will be promoted to the head coaching position. Dicks will be the fifth head coach in seven years for the Notre Dame-Fairfield football program.
According to the release, Brogna will remain tied to Notre Dame-Fairfield as the school's "Community Outreach Coordinator."
I am fortunate and thankful to be a part of the Notre Dame - Fairfield family. Ever since joining the school as the football coach I have felt a unique and special family bond at Notre Dame," Brogna said in the release. "Based on my current health issues, I need to step down as Head Football Coach, however I have accepted the position of Community Outreach Coordinator. I am very excited about my new position and I look forward to helping Notre Dame continue to grow and prosper. I have full confidence in Coach Dicks and have no doubt he will lead our football program in the right direction.
Brogna stated at his hiring press conference last June that he was "in it for the long haul," but that commitment came into question when he took a job as a baseball scout for the Tampa Bay Rays in December 2011.
Even though Coach Brogna is unable to continue his position as Head Football Coach, I am very excited to continue to have him as part of Notre Dame," Notre Dame Athletic Director Rob Bleggi said in the release. "There is no better person than Dawon Dicks to be named Head Coach. I have the utmost confidence in Dawon and the current coaching staff. With Dawon at the helm, I have no doubt we will continue to move in direction that Coach Brogna had started.
Notre Dame-Fairfield went 1-9 in Brogna's only season as head coach.
Brogna, a former first-round baseball draft pick, spent parts of eight seasons in the majors with the Tigers, Mets, Phillies, Red Sox and Braves between 1994 and 2001.
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