Bessemer board addresses coaching assignments

By TOM STANKARD

[email protected]

Bessemer — The process of assigning coaching positions for the Bessemer Area Schools District was discussed Monday night by school board members and Athletic Director Tim France.

Al Gaiss, Extra Curricular Committee chairman, read the minutes of the committee’s meeting on March 28, which was attended by the board of education, coaches and parents.

Gaiss said the committee received requests from the public, suggesting all coaches be interviewed prior to being hired and that coaching positions should be filed as soon as possible, following the completion of a season.

In response, Gaiss said the committee agreed to follow past practices, which allows a coach to keep coaching from season to season, based on if his or her performance meets expectations.

Gaiss emphasized the committee can only make recommendations and only the board of education can approve hirings, once the administration makes such recommendations.

With that, France read a list of recommended coaching assignments for the 2016-17 school year. France said the list resembles staffing changes from the previous year.

After reviewing the list, the board approved the coaching assignments.

Theresa Turula, of Bessemer, said during public comment she was disappointed with the basketball coaching assignments because no interviews were held. She said every coach should have to be interviewed. Richard Matrella and Mark Mazzon applied to be head coaches for the boy’s basketball program.