Menu
Meyer resigns Cloverdale coaching positions in 'mutual' decision
Cloverdale varsity football and baseball coach Tony Meyer has resigned after two years in charge of the Clovers.
Cloverdale athletic director J.J. Wade said there was a “mutual agreement to make change” in both programs.
“We appreciate his time over the last two years,” Wade said.
Meyer took over a football program in the summer of 2015 that had lost 17 of its previous 18 games, and went 1-9 in his first year.
The Clovers lost all 10 games on the field in 2016, but were awarded a victory over Brown County due to use of an ineligible player.
The Clovers performed much better under Meyer in his second season, starting the season 3-3 before losing the final four games of the year.
In baseball, the Clovers went 8-21 in 2016 and 7-14 this spring, including a 1-4 record in Western Indiana Conference games. The Clovers lost 11-1 to eventual sectional champion Southmont in the first round.
“I believe they wanted to go in a different direction in the program, which I completely understand,” Meyer said Thursday. “It’s hard when you have a whole staff of lay coaches [who don’t teach], and you lose some connect with the kids. I think they wanted to get away from that.
“It was a good time for them, and a good time for me,” he added.
Meyer thinks his impact on both programs goes far beyond his 4-16 record in football and 15-35 mark in baseball.
“In my opinion, I believe I left both programs better after having been there,” he said. “I have to give a big shout-out to the parents down there. They were super supportive. For a small town, they got a bunch of people in the stands and did great with fundraisers.”
Meyer said the Cloverdale parents did not hesitate to “get on” their kids if there were any problems that were grade or behavior related.
“I really had no problem with the parents,” he said. “I was very appreciative of all they did. You really couldn’t ask for more from a group of parents.”
Meyer’s “day job” is with S.C. Resources, a clothing company based in Fishers.
“My job there deals with going to their different factories and working with human resources and staffing,” he said. “I do whatever they tell me to do.”
Meyer was proud last season of the radical turnaround the football program showed in breaking one of the state’s longest on-field losing streaks, but does not point to that achievement as his best memory from his time at Cloverdale.
“Last year, at the end of football, I didn’t have one kid on study tables or any kids with failing grades,” he said. “To me, that was my job. I think that’s great, and to see the number of kids now who are looking to go to college and play football or baseball is a win-win for the coach.”
Cloverdale has posted both positions on its website, and will be taking applications through June 14.
“Hopefully we can find a quick replacement and be ready for the fall season,” Wade said.
Meyer does not have any immediate plans to coach again, and will be spending time watching his daughters compete at Greencastle High School.
“I have two daughters that will be playing volleyball at the high school, one a senior [Maggie] and one who is a freshman [Lilly],” he said. “I have a junior daughter [Abby] who is a swimmer. I have an awesome wife [Denise] who is an assistant volleyball coach at the high school. They spent a couple of years chasing me around, so I’m going to return the favor and go hang out with them.”
The Clovers open the season on Aug. 18 at South Putnam.