College Baseball Coach Rodney Velardi Quits Amid Controversy About Illegal Devices Found In Helmet

After managing Atlantic Cape Community College in New Jersey for 13 years, Rodney Velardi decided to step down from his position as the team’s coach. On May 4, nearly two weeks after an 11-4 defeat against Rowan College Gloucester County in which two of his players had illicit communication devices discovered in their helmets, Velardi tendered his resignation.

College Baseball Coach Rodney Velardi Quits Amid Controversy About Illegal Devices Found In Helmet

On April 22, as the ACCC was playing Rowan College Gloucester County, the umpires discovered electronic communication devices in the batters’ helmets.


After the opening game of the team’s series against Atlantic Cape on April 21, Rowan freshman pitcher Ethan Dodd went to his coaches because he thought he could have been tipping his pitches.

Valli and the Rowan College coaches observed that Atlantic Cape had an excellent read on pitches early in the game the next day during the opening game of a doubleheader. However, Valli remained silent until a catcher for Rowan College informed him that a hitter for Atlantic Cape had a voice in his helmet.

In the bottom of the third inning, Valli expressed his worries to the umpire at that time. The umpire looked inside both baserunners’ helmets and discovered communication devices. Like him, the umpire, according to Valli, was astonished by the finding.

https://twitter.com/TheNdCAA/status/1656687075805237248?s=20

According to Rowan manager Rob Valli, “He had a feeling they were getting really good swings on pitches that he thought were good pitches.” “We kind of dismissed it. We didn’t think there was anything there. In hindsight? His senses were O.K.”

So how did Rowan learn that Atlantic Cape was utilizing technology for communication? Valli was informed by first baseman Felix Diaz that on April 22, during the first game of a doubleheader, he heard a voice coming from a player’s helmet.

In a statement, Atlantic Cape Chief Marketing Officer Laura Batchelor claimed that following the incident involving the game, “he was suspended pending the conclusion of the NJCAA Region 19 review, and at that time, we had asked for him to resign.”

Velardi was placed on administrative leave after the game as the NJCAA looked into what happened. The school asked Velardi, who had served as the coach for 13 years, to quit on May 4 once the inquiry was over.

 

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