CS Charter Hires Higgins From Within To Fill Head Coaching Position

When a high school loses their head coach in late July, the list of candidates to take over the program is usually small. With school starting in just a few weeks, most experienced coaches have already locked in their positions for the new year.

In the case of Coral Springs Charter, Jerry Albert made a family decision to resign as head coach of the Panthers program, and accept the same position as Belen Jesuit in Miami. That left Principal Gary Springer in the unenviable position of having to move fast, while at the same time, finding someone to lead a program that is expected to be among the county’s best this upcoming year.

Springer called on the person that led his football program the past ten years. Mike Higgins, the Panther’s head football coach, has been promoted to the athletic director’s position, and will also serve as the school’s baseball coach in 2011-12.

While most in the baseball community would scoff at the idea of a football coach taking over a baseball program, it should be noted that this is not Higgins’ first trip to the baseball diamond. Higgins has been a head coach before at American Heritage, and led the Patriots to the state finals back in 1998. The new coach understands exactly what is expected of him as the leader of the Panthers baseball squad.

“Coach Albert is a very good friend of mine and a great coach,” said Higgins. “He did an outstanding job during his tenure at CS Charter. I see my job not only keeping the high level of standards that he set, but also raising the bar. I am, and always will be, a competitor. My goal for this season and every season is to win a state championship.”

Higgins will be retaining all coaches from Albert’s staff. Jeff Silverman, who has coached the past several years at Monarch as an assistant will be joining the Panthers this year. Additionally, Troy Cameron, a former St. Thomas standout who was drafted in the first round of the Major League Baseball draft by the Atlanta Braves back in 1995, will bring his baseball knowledge to a team that many believe has the talent to compete for a state title.

Having been at the school since 2001 as the Dean of Students and head football coach, Higgins is well aware of the tradition and the day to day operations of CS Charter. The familiarity, along with his baseball background, made this an easy choice for Springer.

“”I’ve know Mike for quite some time,” said Principal Springer. “We were together at Heritage, and then again here at Charter. Jerry is a close friend and was a great coach, and it was important to keep consistency for our players. I am comfortable with Mike’s knowledge of the game, and appreciate the attributes, such as maintaining relationships, that he brings to the table. It just seemed like a natural move.”

Higgins will take over a team that went 16-10 last season. The Panthers season was highlighted by a trip to the finals in the Sunshine Classic Spring Break tournament in Orlando.

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