WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — Personal accountability means something to Jarrod Grassi. It’s the reason he’s no longer coaching the Hartford High baseball program.
Grassi resigned after 18 seasons as the Hurricanes’ coach on Monday morning following a suspension for chewing tobacco during practice last week, the 1991 Hartford graduate said in a phone interview on Tuesday night. Grassi was suspended from coaching the Canes’ 8-5 win at Green Mountain on Saturday as punishment.
Grassi said he and athletic director Jeff Moreno met on Monday morning to discuss the situation, at which time Grassi said he felt it prudent to step down. Kris Keelty and Bill Vielleux will coach the Hurricanes the rest of this season.
“I would rather have something out there that says I made a mistake,” said Grassi, 48. “I don’t want people to speculate, ‘What did he do?’ … It’s an unfortunate situation, a piss-poor choice on my part, especially as a leader of a program. My program is to supposed to set a good example for young men, and my choices were not that.”
A left-handed starting pitcher during his Hartford High days in the early 1990s, Grassi took the Hurricanes’ coaching reins from Mike Ballou in 2004 and built a 139-139-1 record over 18 seasons. He guided the Canes to a VPA Division I state championship in 2009, a runner-up finish in ‘08 and three other visits to the state semifinals.
His final game in charge was Hartford’s season-opening 4-2 win at Bellows Falls on April 20.
“I don’t know what the consequences are going to be. I’m not sure if I would be let go; we didn’t get into that,” Grassi said of his conversation with Moreno. “I feel terrible for what I did to the young men in that program. As their leader, I let them down. I would never, as a man, quit on anybody, especially those young people. It’s a tough pill to swallow.”
Grassi said he still wants to coach baseball today and believes his error was “a forgivable offense.” When or where that may happen will be left to the future.
In an email to parents on Tuesday, Moreno credited Grassi for leaving Hartford baseball in a good position.
“His work over the years is deeply appreciated,” Moreno wrote, “and we hope to see him at Maxfield as much as his schedule will allow.”
The Hurricanes wrap up a season-opening four-game road trip at Windsor on Thursday.
They open their Maxfield Sports Complex home season against Lyndon on Tuesday night.
Greg Fennell can be reached at gfennell@vnews.com or 603-727-3226.