Rochester High School Varsity Coaches Biographies Johnny Pleasant Position: Head Boys Basketball Coach Experience: 8 th Season Career: Coach Pleasant will lead the Falcons Boys Basketball program for the 8 th season this year. Pleasant guided Rochester to a state quarterfinal in 2013, along with coaching McDonalds All-American James Young. Accomplishments: Coach Pleasant has a career record of 81-73, which includes two conference titles, a district and regional title, and a state quarter final appearance. Pleasant was named the 2012 Class A State Coach of the Year, and was also selected the 2013 BCAM Class A Coach of the Year. Education: Pleasant graduated from Rochester College in 2003, while playing for the Warriors and his father Garth Pleasant. Currently Pleasant is an elementary teacher in the Rochester district. Personal: Coach Pleasant currently resides in Rochester Hills, Michigan, with his wife Erin, and his two kids Logan and Halle.
Dave Hammel Position: Varsity Girls Lacrosse Coach Experience: 14 years, 10 th Season at RHS Career: Coach Hammel will lead the Girls Falcon Lacrosse team for the 11 th time in his career this season. Hammel has been with the Rochester Girls Lacrosse program from the beginning, starting in 2008 when Rochester became their own independent program. Coach Hammel was also the Rochester United coach from 2005-07, and served as an assistant coach for the United team in 2004. Coach Hammel also founded and coached St. Hugo s Boys Lacrosse team for two years. Accomplishments: Coach Hammel has an overall record of 78-69-10 in his time at Rochester, and has two conference titles to his name (2010 and 2012). Hammel also led the Flacons to the Regional Finals in 2007. Education: Hammel graduated from Michigan State with a B.A., and United States International Academy for his graduate degree. Coach Hammel currently works for the Center for Humanistic Studies, where he is a Psychotherapist. Personal: Coach Hammel currently resides in Sterling Heights where he lives with his wife, and has two adult children.
Eric Magiera Position: Head Varsity Baseball Coach Experience: 10 years, 5 th as RHS Head Coach Career: Coach Magiera enters his 6 th season as the head coach of the Falcons. Magiera started his coaching career as an Assistant at Sterlington Heights Stevenson in 2004, where he served for two years, including 2005 as a part of the state champion staff. Coach Magiera has been on the Rochester High Staff for nine years, taking over as the head coach in 2010. Accomplishments: Coach Magiera served as an assistant on the Sterling Heights Stevenson staff that won the 2005 state championship. Magiera led the Falcons to a 2010 District Championship, and was awarded the MHSBCA 2010 District Coach of the Year. Education: B.A. St. Mary s College, M.A. National University. While at St. Mary s, Magiera played baseball for four years, and was named team Captain in 2003, and named USCAA All-American in 2003. Personal: Eric currently resides in Sterling Heights, Michigan, with his wife Sarah, and is a teacher at Stoney Creek High School.
Susan Wood Position: Head Varsity Cheer Coach Experience: 34 th season at RHS Career: Coach Wood is the most decorated high school cheerleading coach in the state of Michigan. In her 34 year career, Coach Wood has turned her alma mater into the state powerhouse. Wood began her coaching career at Rochester in 1982, coaching both junior varsity and varsity until 1995. Coach Wood has also served on various committees for the Michigan High School Coaches Association, including Head Safety Clinician, Executive Board Member, and Scholarship Selection Committee. Accomplishments: Coach Wood has a very lengthy list of accolades to her credit, here are a few: 23 Conference Championships, 5 District Titles, 27 Regional Championships, 17 State Championships, and 6 State Runners-up Titles. Coach Wood is a two time state Coach of the Year award winner, as well as a Hall of Fame inductee into the Competitive Cheer Coaches Association of Michigan, and a member of the first inaugural Rochester High School Hall of Fame class. Education: Wood received her bachelor s degree from Central Michigan University (81), and also cheered for CMU. Personal: Susan currently resides in Rochester, Michigan, with her husband Michael, and is a teacher and Long Meadow Elementary.
Nick Facca Position: Head Varsity Boys Lacrosse Experience: 4 years, 1 year as RHS Varsity Coach Career: Coach Facca completed his first season as the head varsity coach for the boy s lacrosse program this spring. Facca came to Rochester after previously coaching for three years at Dewitt High School. Accomplishments: Coach Facca is a graduate of rival Rochester Adams, but played lacrosse for Rochester United. Facca would go onto play lacrosse at Western Michigan University in college. In his first season at Rochester, Facca helped to guide the Falcons to six wins in the regular season, the most in Rochester Lacrosse history. His team was also named Academic All-State this season. Education: Facca is a graduate of Western Michigan University (10). Personal: Nick currently resides in West Bloomfield, Michigan, with his wife Aleah, who is a teacher at Van Hoosen Middle School.
Jeff Haney Position: Girls Varsity Golf Coach Experience: 9 th Season Career: Coach Haney is in his 9 th season leading the Rochester Girls Golf program. He has two state championships to his credit while at Rochester, and has also served as Girls and Boys Varsity Basketball Coach, Freshmen Girls Basketball, and currently as the Junior Varsity Boys Basketball Coach. Accomplishments: Haney has led the Falcons to back-to-back state titles in 2009 and 2010. Coach Haney has also captured 5 Regional Titles as the head man for the RHS Golf program. Haney has also had quite a career serving as Girls and Boys Varsity Basketball Coach. His career record on the hardwood as a varsity coach is 132-69, including three district titles and two regional championships. Coach Haney was also named the Michigan State Golf Coaches Association Coach of the Year twice. Education: B.A. Bob Jones University, M.A. Wayne State University. Personal: Haney currently resides in Troy, Michigan, with his wife Holli, and his two daughters Dru and Brooke.
Chris Purgatori Position: Varsity Boys Soccer Experience: 8 th Season Career: Coach Purgatori enters his 6 th season as the head coach of the Rochester Falcons Boys Soccer program, and his 8 th season overall in the program. Accomplishments: Coach Purgatori s teams have reached the District Title game twice in his career, and he has finished as runner-up in the conference twice as well. Purgatori has an overall record at Rochester of 51-45-12 in his six seasons as head coach. Last season Purgatori coached All-American player Spiro Pliakos. Education: Purgatoria is a Rochester High School Alumni, and received his B.A. from Michigan State University in Kinesiology. Chris also has an M.A. in Occupational Therapy from Wayne State University. Personal: Chris currently resides in Rochester, Michigan, with his wife Carrie, and son Jake. Chris works as an Occupation Therapist in West Bloomfield, Michigan.
Adam Sheldon Position: Girls Varsity Basketball Experience: 6 th Season Career: Coach Sheldon enters his 6 th season as the head coach of the Falcons. Sheldon served as a junior varsity coach for two years, before taking over as the head coach at RHS. Accomplishments: Coach Sheldon has guided the Lady s program to a 46-61 record, along with a district final appearance. Education: Sheldon is a 2003 graduate of Rochester College, with a degree in sports management. Personal: Sheldon currently lives in Rochester Hills, Michigan, with his wife Katie, and his two children. He is also a sales manager at TEAM Sports.
Laura Guzman Position: Varsity Softball Coach Experience: 4 th Season Career: Coach Guzman enters her fourth season leading the Falcons. In her third season at the helm for the Rochester Softball program, Guzman led the Falcons to their first OAA Championship since 1989. Accomplishments: Coach Guzman has guided the Falcon program to their first OAA White title since 1989. Guzman, in her second season, led Rochester to a program high of 29 wins. Education: Guzman is a graduate of Wayne State University with a degree in Health Sciences. While at Wayne State Guzman was also a part of the softball team. Personal: Coach Guzman currently resides in Royal Oak, Michigan.
Colby Cunningham Position: Varsity Girls Soccer Experience: 2nd Season Career: Coach Cunningham enters his second season leading the Rochester Girls Soccer program. He is also leads the Royal Oak Boys Soccer program. Accomplishments: Cunningham was a Falcons Girls Varsity Assistant in 2013, which included an impressive run to the state semi-finals. Last season was a transition year for Cunningham, and the Falcons look to be strong again next season. Cunningham also led the Royal Oak Boys team to the OAA Blue Division title. Education: Cunningham is a graduate of Oakland University, and also played on the soccer team. Cunningham also played professionally in Norway. Personal: Cunningham currently resides in Rochester, Michigan, and also coaches for the Force Football Club in Bloomfield Hills.
Erik Vernon Position: Varsity Football Experience: 6th Season Career: Coach Vernon enters his sixth season leading the Rochester Football program. He is also a varsity assistant on the Wrestling coaching staff. Accomplishments: Vernon has led the Falcons to a 20-26 record in his six year career as the head coach for Rochester. Vernon took the Falcons to the playoffs in 2010, and will look to get Rochester back once again, as the Falcons now move to the White Division in the OAA. Education: Vernon is a graduate of Albion College, where he was also a member of the Football team. Personal: Vernon currently resides in Rochester, Michigan.