Hassler Steps Down at North Penn

Some coaches retire because of fatigue. Others step down to spent more time with their family. Even more coaches need to get away from the long hours needed for the job.

Chalk up all of the above for Ron Hassler.

After three seasons as head coach of North Penn, Hassler told his team on the night of March 24 that he would be leaving the Knights after building the team into a contender.

Hassler acknowledged there were several factors that went into his decision.

“Family was one of the factors,” said Hassler. “Fatigue was another factor. They both go hand-in-hand.  I wasn’t able to see my kids play enough.  You usually judge a season by the way you recover, and it really took me a long time this year. That hour commute (from Schnecksville) one way gets you.”

Hassler didn’t plan on resigning early in the year, but as the Knights’ season headed for the finish line, Hassler realized it was time to step away from the game he loves.

“It was probably in the second half of the season,” Hassler said. “Things were going pretty well, but I don’t think I was enjoying it as much as I should have been.  I started looking at some reasons why.”

Hassler arrived at North Penn three years ago and turned the Knights into champions. 

He finished with an overall record of 45-28. This past winter, the Knights went 21-6 and captured a share of the Suburban One League’s Continental Conference title. 

North Penn won its first playoff game in nine years and came within one victory of advancing to the states.

“I’m happy,” said Hassler.  “As far as what these kids gave us and for the stage that our program is at, they gave us everything and more of what we asked for.  I think we turned the corner this year.”

North Penn now must find a replacement for one of the top coaches in the area.  North Penn School and Community Engagement Manager Christine Liberaski said the school will move fast to find its next boys basketball coach.

“Finding the right replacement is extremely important,” said Liberaski. “We hope to do it as quickly as possible.  Our wish would be that we could have someone by early May.  We’re putting an interview team together so we can make that happen.”

North Penn will go through more than a coaching transition next winter. The Knights will lose seven seniors to graduation, but Hassler is confident the current group of underclassmen will keep the team in contention.

“I think there’s a good amount of younger kids coming up,” Hassler said. “We’re graduating seven seniors, so a lot of people may not look as North Penn as a contender.  They did progress a lot at the end of the year.  I think the attitude is there, and the foundation has been laid.”

While North Penn looks to the future without the man who rebuilt its program, Hassler is looking forward to spending more time with his family and less on long commutes. 

But don’t be surprised to see Hassler return to the coaching ranks in the future, even if it means serving as an assistant.

“I have an addiction,” said Hassler. “Some people start asking you and making you feel like you’re the one that can bring them back and save their program. It’s hard to say no. I’ll probably end up coaching again sometime down the line. It may not even be in a head coaching capacity.”