When Kevin Feeley was fresh out of college some 23 years ago, he signed on as an assistant baseball coach at Cranford for a position he figured would last no more than a couple years. He remained at his high school alma mater for eight. And when he accepted the head boys basketball position at Union for the 2011-12 season, Feeley figured on holding that spot for five, maybe 10 years. Feeley far outran that personal timeline, too, as he is steppping down after coaching the Farmers through 14 competitive, sometimes overachieving seasons in arguably the toughest conference and division in all of New Jersey. “I had a great time doing it and I’m happy for the opportunity that I got. But I didn’t think I’d be doing this for 14 years,” Feeley said. “But I’m happy with me decision. I think it’s the right one.” The 45-year-old Feeley compiled a 161-178 career record at Union at a school that had always been better known for its football, baseball and track. And yet his Farmers traveled with dignity each winter among the likes of Union County basketball giants Elizabeth, Roselle Catholic, Linden, Union Catholic, Plainfield and even Westfield. Take this past season in the Watchung Division of the UCC, for instance, as an example of that county’s hoops supremacy. Plainfield won the Group 4 state title and was crowned No. 1 in the final NJ.com Top 20. Roselle Catholic won the Non-Public B state championship and finished No. 3. Elizabeth was No. 17 in the final Top 20 and had won Group 4 the previous season, and Union Catholic was No. 20, and had won Non-Public A in 2023. Westfield finished 18-11 and had been ranked during the season. Union was just 1-11 in the Watchung, though the one victory was a Top 20 upset over Union Catholic in overtime, 70-69, behind the outstanding play of seniors Carl Matala and Omalley King and sophmores Reed Flood and Imaad Johnson. Outside of that merciless division, Feeley’s squad was 8-8. The six teams other than Union in the Watchung were an impressive 122-50 overall. “I enjoyed the time I spent here, and we tried to do the best we could with what we had,” said Feeley. who will remain at Union as a mathematics teacher. “We felt like we did it the right way. We followed the rules and did all the things we were supposed to do.” He did not chase down standout players from other communities to come enhance his roster, and did not try to broker deals with Union players seeking out other opportunities. Feeley’s top scorer in the 2023-24 season, then-sophomore Trevor Whitaker,transferred to Union Catholic for this season. Another star sophomore, Ithiel Horton, transferred to St. Anthony after helping the Farmers finish 16-10 in the 2015-16 season. St. Anthony closed after that season and Horton transferred to Roselle Catholic to help the Lions finish 29-4 and win the Tournament of Champions. “The way I’ve always looked at it, you did whatever you could with what you had. That’s what I feel high school sports is supposed to be,” Feeley said. Feeley was a sharpshooting guard and a talented pitcher at Cranford before graduating in 1998 and continuing his baseball career at Villanova. “I happened to be more gifted in baseball. I just liked basketball more,” he said. Feeley lives in Wall now with his wife, Theresa, and their two children, ages, 10 and seven. The distance from Monmouth County to Union each day after basketball practices and games had something to do with his decision. The urge to spend more time engaging in his children’s activities in the winter also figured into the resignation. In the end, though, it was more an instinctive feel than a concrete cause that led Feeley to this decision. One, he said, isn’t necessarily permanent. “it’s kind of one of those things where you think sometimes it’s just time. That’s how I look at it; there’s nothing that happened,” he said. “It’s time to get somebody else. A new voice, a younger person with more energy that can help get into the town; get the things done that need to be done here.” Mike Kinney can be reached at mkinney@njadvancemedia.com. The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Follow us on social: Facebook |Instagram | X (formerly Twitter)