{"id":84154,"date":"2025-12-30T00:32:19","date_gmt":"2025-12-30T00:32:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/84154\/"},"modified":"2025-12-30T00:32:19","modified_gmt":"2025-12-30T00:32:19","slug":"ron-vernon-almost-worked-for-free","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/84154\/","title":{"rendered":"Ron Vernon almost worked for free"},"content":{"rendered":"

Stickball in Coney Island. Photo courtesy of Jason Cusato<\/p>\n

Admit it \u2013 there are certain things you would do for free.<\/p>\n

Maybe you already have.<\/p>\n

And, you might even travel a hefty distance for the pleasure. Hmm\u2026still thinking?<\/p>\n

Time is up.<\/p>\n

We found one for you. His name \u2013 Ron Vernon. The same Ron Vernon who coached basketball for 16 successful seasons at New Utrecht High School.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always wanted to be a Physical Education teacher and coach,\u201d he told the Brooklyn Eagle from his now Palm Beach County, Florida residence the other day.<\/p>\n

The Lincoln High grad didn\u2019t play basketball for the Honest Abes, but he said he was a \u201cstreet player. I played ball in the Surf Projects and at Kaiser Park in Coney Island.\u201d<\/p>\n

Vernon lived at Mermaid and Neptune Avenues \u2013 six blocks from Sea Gate, \u201cBut I\u2019ve always considered myself a Coney Island person. My grandparents lived there, too,\u201d he said. \u201cConey Island is my home.\u201d<\/p>\n

And 11 of Vernon\u2019s buddies packed their bags \u2013 left Coney Island \u2013 for four years at Northeast Louisiana State University in Monroe, La. \u201cJim Ryan was my roomie,\u201d he said. \u201cHe coached high school football 40 years \u2014 at Andrew Jackson High, Bayside and Erasmus Hall. We were best friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

Were is the word \u2013 he lost his bestie recently.<\/p>\n

But you can\u2019t take Brooklyn \u2013 or Coney Island \u2013 out of the boy. So, upon the four years of culture shock in Louisiana, Vernon returned to the big city \u2013 Brooklyn. He got his taste of teaching at I.S. 147 in The Bronx. \u201cOne hundred sixty-seventh street and Webster,\u201d he said like it was yesterday. \u201cAnd it was my first opportunity to coach basketball.\u201d<\/p>\n

The coaching probably was the easy part for the rookie teacher. He took the subway daily from Coney Island to school. \u201cAbout three hours round trip daily; I did it four years,\u201d he said. But opportunity knocked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe principal at I.S. 147 wanted a basketball team,\u201d Vernon recalled. \u201cHe asked the two senior Physical Education teachers on staff and they declined.\u201d<\/p>\n

Why?
\u201cNo pay,\u201d Vernon laughed now, some 54 years later. \u201cSo,\u201d Vernon remembered, \u201cHe (Principal) turned to me and I said, \u2018Yes.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

There was no league at the time, Vernon says, but he figured he could call some schools for teams to play. But before any basketball action, Vernon did have one demand.<\/p>\n

\u201cI told the principal if he can\u2019t get the kids uniforms, I won\u2019t coach,\u201d he said. \u201cWe got jerseys \u2013 no shorts.\u201d
And no paychecks for two seasons. \u201cI was laid off after that second season, and worked as a sub, and an exterminator. I had a wife and young son at the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t win the lottery \u2013 but Ron Vernon came close when he was soon hired at Middle School 51 in Park Slope. \u201cIt was like going to heaven,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Not completely \u2013 he coached their basketball team several season\u2019s and again \u2013 no pay.<\/p>\n

What soon followed \u2013a 16 year career \u2013 starting in 1982 \u2013 at New Utrecht High School. A career with close to 250 wins. \u201cI don\u2019t keep all-time records,\u201d he said, \u201cJust go game-to-game.\u201d<\/p>\n

And a career that, yes \u2013 saw him collect pay checks. Why not \u2013 he was named Brooklyn Coach of the Year twice in his lofty career. \u201cI was young and somewhat inexperienced at the start,\u201d he admits. \u201cMy first four years we missed the post-season playoffs. After that it was 12 consecutive playoff appearances.\u201d<\/p>\n

New Utrecht basketball, under Ron Vernon, advanced to the Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL) semi-finals twice \u2013 both heart breaking losses \u2013 once to Monroe in overtime (they went on to win the title) \u2013 and another loss to Paul Robeson.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t only basketball for Vernon. \u201cI adapted a Study Hall on non-game days from 2:30-3:30,\u201d he said. \u201cI had two or three volunteers from the Honor Society. I believed School First then basketball.\u201d<\/p>\n

When it came to basketball, Lafayette may have been the neighborhood rival, but Vernon claims the biggest rivalry was playing Lincoln and Grady. \u201cLincoln, Grady, Robeson and Boys and Girls High were Brooklyn\u2019s best,\u201d Vernon said. \u201cWe were as good as them.\u201d<\/p>\n

In fact, Vernon quickly remembered a playoff game \u2013 the game not the year \u2013 when Utrecht played at Boys and Girls and his sophomore Darius Waters stole the ball at midcourt with :40-seconds remaining for a Green and White win.<\/p>\n

Which opened the door for the coach to name his Top Five players of all-time:<\/p>\n

\u201cThis won\u2019t be easy,\u201d he said, starting to tear-up and a bit of crackling in his voice, \u201cBut here goes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Andrew Adderly, a 6-3, two-time Division II All American who played at Assumption University, inducted in their Hall of Fame (2003) and played pro ball in Europe, eight seasons.
John Burkett, Sacred Heart University, all Conference performer.
Oronn Brown, Led the nation in assists at Clarion University (\u201993-\u201997), played 106 games and averaged 13.6 ppg, 1,442 points, eighth all-time.
Kareem Lewis, 6-7, Coppin State, All-City performer First Team at New Utrecht , 89 games at Coppin State for an 8.4 ppg average.
John Thomas, Genesee Community College, ended his career at Brooklyn\u2019s St. Francis College, 12.6 ppg.<\/p>\n

And, the coach\u2019s highlight \u2013 easy. \u201cI was a speaker at Andrew Adderly\u2019s Hall of Fame induction,\u201d he said. \u201cI love watching these kids grow up. They still call me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Certainly they call him \u2013 coach.<\/p>\n

Andy Furman is a Fox Sports Radio national talk show host. Previously, he was a scholastic sports columnist for the Brooklyn Eagle. He may be reached at: [email\u00a0protected]<\/a> X: @AndyFurmanFSR.<\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tScholastic Roundup: Clippers place 9 on CHSFL all stars<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDecember 26 |
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAndy Furman\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Brooklyn
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNets enjoy glad tidings in Philadelphia<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDecember 24 |
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJohn Torenli, Sports Editor\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Brooklyn
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNets lock down Raptors in Brooklyn<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDecember 23 |
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJohn Torenli, Sports Editor\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"FDR
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFor John Prelha, 4 times is the charm<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDecember 22 |
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAndy Furman\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Stickball in Coney Island. Photo courtesy of Jason Cusato Admit it \u2013 there are certain things you would…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":84155,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[41164,98,100,99,9,24,63,41165,41166],"class_list":["post-84154","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-brooklyn","tag-andy-furman","tag-brooklyn","tag-brooklyn-headlines","tag-brooklyn-news","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-nyc","tag-ron-vernon","tag-stickball"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84154","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=84154"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84154\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/84155"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=84154"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=84154"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=84154"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}