Collier County high school baseball coach heads home

The battle over a baseball coach at a Collier County high school has caused confusion between students, coaches, parents and the school board.

Charlie Mauer, Barron Collier’s head baseball coach, means a lot to his players and their families. This would be his tenth season as coach, and some parents said not renewing his contract is the wrong call.

Adam Johnson, the assistant baseball coach at Barron Collier, shared some thoughts with WINK News.

“Some of our shirts, it says ‘Pack, we believe that we are a family,’ these guys are all here, we fight for them, they fight for us,” Johnson said.

“What you’re seeing out here today is a bunch of people who are surrounding our leader, our coach, our guy,” Johnson said.

Monday afternoon the team learned that CCPS is not renewing Maurer’s contract.

“I am beside myself, I really am, this is this is just wrong,” Matthew White, a parent to one of the players said.

Parents and players told WINK News the decision was made after the district learned some weeds on the field were sprayed by an unauthorized company.

“The allegations that they are making about him don’t seem to be adding up,” high school junior Alex Kunzle said.

Many are questioning the decision to subtract coach Maurer.

“It’s such a huge moment in my life and he’s played such a big part of my life, it’s really tough,” high school junior Mason Ceccarelli said.

“People use the word ‘coach’ and that doesn’t define him; it really doesn’t. What he really does is he helps his kids grow into men and he makes them better people,” White said.

The team says if their coach has to be off the field this season, they know he will still be there coaching from the stands.

“Yes, definitely, with a couple yells of whatever you need to do to,” Kunzle said.

WINK News did reach out to Collier County public schools but the school district is not commenting. Rather, they’re citing an “ongoing personnel matter.”