Pirates football coach Tom McHugh to become Pasco’s new athletic director

Posted Sep 8, 2011 by Mike Camunas

Updated Sep 9, 2011 at 02:08 PM

Pasco has finally found its new athletic director and the school didn’t have to go far to find him.

Assistant principal Norm Brown told The Pasco Tribune on Thursday afternoon that Tom McHugh, the school’s football coach, will take over athletic director duties effective immediately.

“Tom’s a solid candidate,” Brown added.

McHugh was hired in January 2007 by Pasco after spending eights season as Wesley Chapel’s defensive coordinator under former coach John Castelamare. Since taking over the Pirates, Pasco has been one of the top teams in the county, including making the 3A state final four in 2008. McHugh is 39-10 after beginning his fifth season at Pasco with a 54-27 win last Friday against Ormond Beach Calvary Christian.

McHugh will go for career win 40 this Friday at Land O’Lakes in a showdown of the top two Pasco County teams. The Pirates, who are ranked No. 1 in the Pasco Tribune Top 5 poll, have a four-game win streak against the No. 2 Gators under McHugh.

McHugh takes over for Jim Ward, a Pirates alum who’d been the school’s AD since 2004 and also coached the Pirates softball team from 1995-2000. Ward resigned Aug. 25 for personal reasons.

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