By KEN LIPSHEZ
Staff Writer

BERLIN — Berlin High graduate Mike Veneziano has been named the Redcoats’ boys basketball coach, the school’s athletic department announced Tuesday.

“It’s an honor and privilege since I played in town for 24 years,” said Veneziano, who worked at the American Stock Exchange on Wall Street for 10 years before returning to Berlin and a career in industrial sales. “To coach where I played is a pretty big deal for me.”

Veneziano, 41, replaces John Fote, who guided a young team to an 11-11 record last year. Fote resigned after one season to focus on his new assistant principal’s position at East Hartford High School and ownership of the Hartford-based Baseball City.

 “Mike has served as our assistant varsity coach the last two years and is ready to take over our program,” athletic director Jim Day said. “He is a young man who will be with our program for the long haul and give us the stability we have been searching for.”

Veneziano is the program’s fourth coach in four years.

Fote’s predecessor Anthony Hill left after the 2007-08 season to take the boys job at Wilbur Cross-New Haven. Dave Bosso, who won a state title in 2005-06 and finished second in 2001-02, ended his seven-year term in 2006-07 after compiling a record of 101-71.

“The kids suffer the most,” Veneziano said about the continuity issue. “We’ll only have one senior who’s been in the program for four years.”

Veneziano inherits a program that has qualified for the state tournament six straight seasons and in nine of the last 10. He’ll have an All-Herald core of rugged junior forward Max DeLorenzo (18.8 points per game) and guard Richie Conway (13.7) on which to build.

The lone senior will be Sean Sylvester, a frontcourt reserve last year.

“[His staying with the program] speaks volumes about his character,” said Veneziano, who played for Ken Parciak at BHS before playing two seasons at Mitchell College in New London. “It’s hard to prepare and that’s why we don’t have a lot of seniors participating. Something is wrong when there’s only one senior and I think it’s something the administration wanted to address.”

Former multisport Newington High star Joey Serfass will serve as Veneziano’s junior varsity coach. Football coach John Capodice, whom Veneziano called a lifelong friend, will run the freshman program.

“John’s been very supportive,” he said. “To get a football guy in here will help us get some of those football players.”

He plans to add another assistant for the varsity.

Veneziano graduated from Southern Connecticut State University in 1991 with a  degree in marketing management. During his 10 years in New York City, he played and coached with the Police Athletic League in Queens.

Veneziano resides in Berlin with his wife Lara and two sons.