PIAA tabs Lombardi executive director

STATE COLLEGE (AP) — The PIAA has selected longtime associate executive director Robert Lombardi to succeed Brad Cashman as head of the governing body for Pennsylvania scholastic sports.
The announcement was made Friday morning in State College, before the state basketball finals at the Jordan Center on the Penn State campus.
Lombardi has been associate executive director since 1988. He was one of two finalists for a national search that began in October. The other finalist was not identified, though the candidate was from outside the PIAA.
The candidates each had final interviews with the 31-member board Friday morning before the board voted unanimously to go with Lombardi.
“I’d like to make the PIAA the best it can be,” Lombardi said Friday night at the basketball championships. When pressed to offer specifics, Lombardi praised the quality of the organization’s officials, and said he hoped to improve lines of communications with the member schools.
“The schools, these are our customers,” he said. “The 225,000 young people playing, we need to tell their stories a little better. There are a lot of folks out there doing great things, and I think the public needs to know that.”
Cashman is retiring in July after 18 years as executive director. He cited the additions of the Philadelphia public and Catholic school leagues to the PIAA as one of the highlights of his tenure.

List of reportable offenses under Act 24

All current employees of a public or private schools, intermediate unit or area vocation-technical school in Pennsylvania were required to complete an arrest/conviction report and certification form under Act 24 of 2011. The deadline to submit the form was Dec. 27.

The list of reportable offenses
1. An offense under one or more of the following provision of Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes:

• relating to criminal homicide
• relating to aggravated assault
• relating to stalking
• relating to kidnapping
• relating to unlawful restraint
• relating to luring a child into a motor vehicle or structure
• relating to rape
• relating to statutory sexual assault
• relating to involuntary deviate sexual intercourse
• relating to sexual assault
• relating to institutional sexual assault
• relating to aggravated indecent assault
• relating to indecent assault
• relating to indecent exposure
• relating to sexual intercourse with animal
• relating to incest
• relating to concealing death of child
• relating to endangering welfare of children
• relating to dealing in infant children
• relating to prostitution and related offenses
• relating to obscene and other sexual materials and performances
• relating to corruption of minors
• relating to sexual abuse of children
• relating to unlawful contact with minor
• relating to solicitation of minors to traffic drugs
• relating to sexual exploitation of children

2. An offense designated as a felony under the act of April 14, 1972 known as "The Controlled Substance, Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act."

3. An offense similar in nature to those crimes listed in clauses (1) and (2) under the laws or former laws of:

• the United States; or
• one of its territories or possessions; or
• another state; or
• the District of Columbia; or
• the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; or
• a foreign nation; or
• under a former law of this Commonwealth.
  

Spridik no longer Bentworth volleyball coach

Greg Spridik is the most successful high school girls volleyball coach in Washington County history.

Besides producing a string of victories and All-State players, Spridik is the only coach from the area to take his team to the PIAA playoffs on multiple occasions.

Success wasn't enough for Spridik to return to the Bearcats in 2012.

He was fired last Friday during a meeting with administrations. It was an action that members of the Bentworth School District Board of Education did not know.

The reason? According to Spridik, he was told he was in violation of Act 24 of the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Spridik was arrested in a foreign country 31 years ago. Until Act 24 was established, he previously passed all clearances needed to coach high school athletics and officiate PIAA basketball games.

Spridik believes the real reason behind his removal stems from his public displeasure over a motion at Bentworth to remove middle school athletics.

It's one interesting story, and one that will likely take a few turns before reaching a conclusion.

Read more about it in Thursday's Observer-Reporter.

Trinity football players go on strike

The ongoing fued between coaches, players and supporters of Trinity football against certain members of the Trinity Area School Board took a unique turn Monday morning when players staged a strike.

Before the start of football camp, players organized and sat on the playing surface at Hiller Field for 30 minutes. The strike started at 9 a.m. in protest to deep cuts in the athletic budget.

Players organized the protest without the knowledge of Trinity head coach Ed Dalton.

"It came about because two of our top assistants are gone. Chad Daloia got fired, and his brother (Ryan) ended up quitting because he didn't want to do it after his brother got fired," senior Brandon Robertson said. "We're trying to get them back, so we're putting on a little strike before practice. We're just trying to get our coaches back."

Trinity competes in Class AAA, and it annually fields a large roster for football. The Hillers have four coaches on the staff for the upcoming season, and are in the process of implementing a new offense - the triple option.

"We only have three of four coaches so it's pretty hectic," Robertson added.

Will the move work or create more contention?

"A strike was really the only thing we could come to," senior John Laschinsky said. "It symbolizes how our team is coming together, to fight for our family. We're not just a football team. We're a family, and our coach is a big part of that family. That's what we're trying to get across."

Follow Mike Kovak on Twitter @TheMikeKovak

Trinity football's open letter

I covered the Alumni Football USA game Friday night between Washington and Trinity – a game Washington won with ease – and I'll probably share some quotes I got from walking around the sidelines during the second half sometime soon.

My hastily written story on the event can be read by clicking here. A question posed in the reader comments concerned why Trinity didn't practice at their own facilities. The game was played at Wash High, and the Hillers alumni team practiced at Chartiers-Houston.

We'll get to the answer in a minute.

First, I got a chance to catch up with former Hillers great Ben Jennings, who sure looked like he could still run the football. As I was ending the post-game interview with Jennings, he wanted to say one thing on the record, part of which could be read at the end of the story.

Jennings, a person I always considered thoughtful and soft-spoken, further criticized the Trinity Area School Board from what Jennings said was their lack of cooperation with helping the team to a refusal to host the game, which proved beneficial for the football players, wrestlers and cheerleaders at Washington. His words definitely caught my attention.

Then, I saw something on my windshield as I was leaving Wash High Stadium. It should answer the previous question.

"An open letter to Hiller Football Alumni and Fans:

The Trinity Football program is under attack by members of our Board of Education, at a time our program has reached levels of success over a long period of time never achieved before in Trinity football history. Currently, our program has reached the WPIAL playoffs six consecutive years – a feat only TJ, Mars and Franklin Regional can equal in Class AAA. In addition, we have 26 active college football players, nine at the Division I level, which ranks us in the top three percent in the nation for moving players on the college football. These board members Sandra Clutter, Coleen Interval, Scott Day and Dennis McWreath have been on a two-year mission to ruin our football program.

The most recent attacks have been to cut the football supply and equipment budget to virtually zero only buying football, and not much else for the program. This despite the football program bringing in more revenue through season tickets and at the gate then all other Trinity Area sports put together. Furthermore, cutting two of our top football coaching assistants, Dr. Chad Daloia (Class of 1991) and Mr. Craig Uram (2001), both are alumni, who own homes in the district, and have been great assistant coaches to our program.

In closing, big thanks to the Wash High Prexie Alumni and fans, as this night is an example of the Washington School District working together for a great event. Additional thanks to the Chartiers-Houston School District for allowing our team to practice at your facilities. Our Trinity Area School District would not even allow our team to practice or use any of our facilities. How embarrassing and sad for our alumni and fans. Please join our football web site www.trinityhillerfootball.com and our facebook page Coach Ed Dalton's Hiller Football Nation, or follow Coach Dalton on twitter @edalton2, so we can keep you up to date and have your support in this embarrassing and malicious campaign of destruction of our program at Trinity."

Trinity, C-M facing budget problems

Trinity School Board is considering sweeping cuts totaling $2 1/2 million, including 25 staff positions, to meet its 2011-12 operating budget.

Among the measures the board discussed at a finance committee meeting this afternoon include requiring high school students to pay to play sports as well as participate in the band. The board discussed levying a $50 fee per student, per sport.

Also back on the table is eliminating full-day kindergarten and eliminating middle school sports.

The 25 staff members that may be eliminated include teachers, administrators and clerical workers.

For more on the situation at Trinity, click here.

Canon-McMillan could be cutting as much as 20 percent from its athletic budget. For more on that situation, click here.

Dalton officially back as Trinity's football coach

From Observer-Reporter staff writer Dawn Goodman …

Ed Dalton has accepted the job as Trinity Area School District’s varsity football coach and weightlifting coach, Superintendent Paul Kasunich said after Thursday’s school board meeting.
After more than a year of contentious board meetings about whether to keep Dalton as football coach and athletic director, the board voted two weeks ago to hire him back as coach as long as outstanding issues were resolved.
Kasunich said the grievance filed by the teachers union about Dalton’s ouster as football coach resolved itself because he was offered the coaching position again. The board chose not to stipulate that Dalton drop his lawsuit against the district over the decision not to renew his contract as athletic director, Kasunich said.

Trinity hires … Dalton

The Trinity Area School Board has hired Ed Dalton as its new football coach assuming issues such as outstanding grievances can be resolved. Dalton was fired by the same school board in January, at the time ending a 12-year coaching tenure.

For more, read http://www.observer-reporter.com/or/localnews/02-18-2011-trinity-hires-fb-coach.

No meeting at Trinity tonight

The special meeting of the Trinity Area School Board scheduled for tonight has been canceled. As of Wednesday, the only item mentioned on the agenda for the meeting was the hiring of a head varsity football coach.

Trinity opens football position

Trinity Area School Board voted 5-4 to open Ed Dalton's job as head varsity football coach. Dalton had served as Trinity's coach since 1999.

Coaching matters at Trinity and Peters Township

The Trinity Area School Board will meet tonight at 6:30 p.m. in the high school auditorium and they are expected to vote on opening the varsity head football coaching position held by Ed Dalton.
This marks the second time the board will vote to open the position; the first came in December 2009, when the board voted to open all fall sports coaching positions as well as Dalton's old post of athletic director. The vote was rescinded a month later.
Dalton's contract as athletic director was not renewed over the summer.
Depending on the person doing the talking, there's differing opinions about Dalton's status. Dalton and some of his supporters at Trinity believe he's coached his final game. At least one board member told a staff writer from the Observer-Reporter earlier today that there will not be enough votes to open the position.
Trinity has qualified for the WPIAL playoffs the past six years - once in Class AAAA, five times since joining Class AAA. Dalton's record since becoming Trinity's coach in 1999 is 57-49 in the regular season and 2-7 in the postseason.
He's also coached at least 75 players who played some college football.

** Thursday's edition of the Observer-Reporter has a story on the coaching situation at Peters Township. For those who would like to read the story, click http://www.observer-reporter.com/or/localsports/01-20-2011-PT-school-coaches.
A few things in the story raised my eyebrows as I'm getting conflicting information.
"Following the meeting, which drew a large audience, Zetty said she did not receive a recommendation for the varsity football position from Richard Relich, the Peters Township athletic director, or Frank Brettschneider, acting high school principal. She did not speculate if a recommendation would be received before the next board meeting on Feb. 22."
I've had two sources that I trust tell me that Rich Relich, the outgoing athletic director, recommended Nick Milchovich. I have not been able to confirm that.
"McClure said confidential sources told her that there are people involved in the selection process who should not be. Zetty asked to speak privately with McClure Wednesday about where she had obtained some of the information. McClure declined."
Four people with knowledge of the situation have told me that Tom Donahoe – the former general manager of the Pittsburgh Steelers – sat in as an advisor on the final interviews for the football position.

** How does Peters Township expect to keep quality coaches around if the school district decides to publicly open every coaching position every season?
Most school districts open coaching positions at the end of seasons but the process is very informal and when coaches are asked if they want to return (provided they received a satisfactory review), it's done with a signature and handshake.
Opening the job to applicants takes on a completely different meaning.

** Considering all fall sports coaches with the exception of Milchovich were rehired, was this process handled fairly across the board? If we've heard about finalists (like Moon's Jon Miller) for the football job, why didn't potential finalists for the other positions surface?

Trinity athletic audit

Just came across this brief on the Observer-Reporter website.

http://www.observer-reporter.com/or/breakstory/01-04-2010-Trinity-athletic-department


Here is the full story, which appeared in Wedesday's edition (gotta love the headline):
http://www.observer-reporter.com/or/localsports/01-05-2011-Trinity-athletic-department

City League to join WPIAL?

The City League has fielded outstanding teams in the past, including recent greats like the DeJuan Blair-led Schlenley boys basketball team and the Rod Rutherford-fueled football teams at Perry Traditional Academy.

District 8 is small, however, and it's schools joining District 7 (WPIAL) has often been a topic of conversation.

Mike White of the Post-Gazette has a good story in today's edition about a proposed plan that involves the City League joining the WPIAL as early as the 2012-13 school year.

For more, click
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10279/1092940-364.stm

Dalton out as AD at Trinity

Only two days ago, Ed Dalton believed a policy proposed by the Trinity School Board to ban all administrators from coaching could be the end of his 11 years as the Hillers' football coach.

Following Thursday's school board meeting, the chances Dalton will return as Trinity's football coach in 2010 increased. If he does, it will likely be as a social studies teacher after the board voted not to renew his contract as athletic director.

Dalton’s contract as athletic director ends June 30.

Dalton was hired as Trinity’s athletic director and football coach in March 1999 and his duties began on May 1 of that year. He was given a five-year contract –unusual at the time – for $60,500 as athletic director, $9,500 as football coach and weight lifting coordinator.

Read more on the front page of Friday's Observer-Reporter.

At the next Trinity School Board meeting …

Trinity football coach Ed Dalton and baseball coach Levi Bristor guided their respective programs to heights not seen by either team in 60-plus years. Following Thursday's school board meeting, Dalton and Bristor could be gone from their positions.

Trinity Area School Board held a policy committee meeting Tuesday and among the topics of discussion was the status of Bristor. (For background on Bristor's situation, click http://www.observer-reporter.com/or/localsports/05-13-2010-bristor-situation).

There is a proposed policy about preventing administrators from coaching sports at Trinity. Bristor is the district transportation director. He's also one of the more successful coaches in Trinity history, despite a short four-year tenure as baseball coach.

Trinity qualified for postseason play in each of Bristor’s four years, including three consecutive trips to the PIAA Class AAA playoffs from 2007-2009. In 2008, Trinity reached the state semifinals and the WPIAL championship game.

His career record is 63-27 (.700 win percentage) with 12 postseason victories.

With a sophomore and freshman as Trinity’s top two pitchers in 2010, the Hillers finished 12-6 and reached the WPIAL quarterfinals before losing to Elizabeth Forward, a PIAA semifinalist.

When the policy was first discussed, the positions of superintendent, assistant superintendent and athletic director were not included. The school board discussed adding those positions at the policy committee meeting.

Dalton is Trinity's athletic director but, as a football coach, he helped turn Trinity into a respectable program.

Trinity is 54-56 under Dalton and he is the second-winningest coach in the program’s history. The Hillers made the playoffs five consecutive years and he produced a string of Division I players, several who play in Bowl Championship series conferences.

The school board already went after Dalton's job as football coach in December when a controversial decision was made to open all fall coaching positions. Following public backlash, the board reconsidered and all fall coaches got their jobs back.

The policy is expected to be discussed at Thursday's meeting, which starts at 6:30 p.m. in the administrative offices.

No matter what happens Thursday, it is unlikely either could be removed before July's meeting. One possibility that could occur is Dalton's dismissal as athletic director. His contract expires June 30 and if it is not renewed, his contract guarantees a teaching position at the top of the pay scale.

It's understandable that the school board is seeking to install this policy. Many schools are trending away from having administrators coach.

Of the 21 high schools in the Observer-Reporter coverage area, eight had athletic directors who were head coaches during the 2009-10 school year. They are Burgettstown's Jon Vallina (golf, wrestling), California's Phil Pergola (boys basketball), Canon-McMillan's Guy Montecalvo (football), Charleroi's Bill Wiltz (boys basketball), Fort Cherry's Brent Fleissner (boys basketball), Ringgold's Lloyd Price (football) Dalton and West Greene's Bill Simms (softball). Montecalvo resigned as football coach in the spring and Price left Ringgold in the middle of the spring sports season.

In Trinity's case, removing Dalton and Bristor from their coaching positions is a mistake. A big mistake. And it sure looks like this proposed policy is nothing more than a veiled attempt to do something the school board wanted to do back in December – get rid of Dalton.

Here's something to ponder: if Dalton is removed as football coach with the start of practice less than two months away, who will Trinity find to fill the position?

Good luck with that one.

Ringgold hires AD, loses baseball coach

The Ringgold School Board hired Ron McMichael as its athletic director at Wednesday's meeting. McMichael replaces Lloyd Price, who resigned abruptly as Ringgold's athletic director and football coach in late March.

McMichael is the athletic director at The Neighborhood Academy, a college-preporatory school for low-income students located in Pittsburgh. McMichael started the athletic program at the school, which competes in the WPIAL.

McMichael lives in the Ringgold school district and his wife Jen is an assistant track coach. McMichael also helps compile a WPIAL boys track honor roll with Steve Tinker at wpialboysaatrack.webs.com.

In other Ringgold news, Brett Grandstrand has resigned as baseball coach. Grandstrand, a former Pittsburgh Pirates draft pick who spent three years with the Washington Wild Things, went 15-23 in two seasons. Ringgold completed its season Monday.