Bezeau resigns as Monroe baseball coach on eve of the season
MONROE – Bubba Bezeau has left Monroe’s baseball team with the season set to begin.
Bezeau, who was beginning the fourth year of his second stint as head coach at his alma mater, resigned suddenly Sunday.
“I would rather not say anything right now,” Bezeau said Monday. “It has nothing to do with the school. I had all the backing in the world from (athletic director) John Ray. It was time for me to quit.”
Bezeau has coached 15 seasons overall.
Ray was at an athletic director’s conference in Traverse City when he heard about Bezeau’s resignation.
“Yes,” Ray said when asked if he was surprised. “Bubba is like a brother to me.”
Monroe was scheduled to play its first game Monday, but it was called off because of weather.
2022 Coach of the Year: Monroe's Bubba Bezeau honored
The Trojans’ next game is scheduled for April 3.
Chris Clark will be leading the team then. He is moving up from the junior varsity to fill the void created by Bezeau’s departure.
“He’s been an assistant for a while,” Ray said of Clark. “He’s an interim, but he will apply for the job if he likes it.”
Clark was just as surprised as Ray.
“I was out of town on Sunday visiting my son in Cleveland,” he said. “My phone started blowing up.”
It was more difficult for Clark because he and Bezeau are friends.
“I absolutely love Bubba,” he said. “He bleeds Monroe baseball. He has raised more money for Monroe in the last 10 years than anyone probably ever will. I am still in shock.”
Clark, who will turn 58 in April, has coached a variety of sports at Monroe through the years, including stints as the head varsity coach for football and boys swimming.
Bezeau’s assistants Alan Santa-Maria and Todd Jones agreed to continue in their roles and Clark’s assistant Greg Depew will take over the junior varsity team with help from Jeff Ball.
“It’s been crazy,” Clark said. “The kids are handling it as well as can be expected. We’re all kind of stunned.”
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Bezeau resigns as Monroe baseball coach on eve of the season
