Gonyar to coach baseball 1 more year Decision will give Bucksport administrators more time to find replacement

Upon further review, Dave Gonyar will be back for his 15th season in the dugout as Bucksport’s baseball coach.

Two weeks after announcing his resignation as boys basketball and baseball coach, Gonyar has agreed to return for one more spring run in order to give the school administration more time to find a qualified applicant.

“Mostly it was the fact that the people of Bucksport have treated me very well and there’s no way I was going to leave them in a tough situation,” said Gonyar, who was asked by school officials to consider returning for one last season.

The 38-year-old Gonyar’s resigned mainly to recoup some of the family time with his wife, two sons, and daughter he’d lost while coaching two consecutive high school seasons, which he’s done for the last three years. Prior to that, he was both Bucksport’s baseball coach and head coach of Brewer’s American Legion baseball team for 10 years.

“My wife is fine with it. She knows this is what I’ve done for most of my career and it’s been a big part of my life,” he said. “I am looking forward to being around the kids again and working for a common goal. Could it be an extra special season? Yeah, it could… especially if we have a good one.”

Senior shortstop and three-year starter Jason Harvey couldn’t be happier to have his coach of five baseball and three hoop seasons back.

“I’m really excited to have him come back,” Harvey said. “When we heard he was leaving, I think we were disappointed. When we heard he was coming back, it just boosted out attitudes toward playing and putting forth a real good effort. It feels sort of like a second chance.”

Harvey’s not the only one relieved. Athletic director Tish Frazier said it should now be much easier to find a solid candidate.

“We’re glad to have him back,” Frazier said. “We really only had two weeks to find someone, so this will give us a much more flexible time frame and will also let people who may currently be employed as a coach or assistant somewhere to then apply without feeling they’re being unfair to their current team.”