Andy Weaver Information Page

FROM KEITH GROLLER

Monday night was an interesting night in Lehigh Valley coaching.

While I was in Catasauqua to hear many speak in favor of Tim Hurd, whose position was opened as Catty baseball coach, the Northern Lehigh school board voted to fire Rich Oertner as boys basketball coach.

Different circumstances, I know, and a lot of folks will have more sympathy for one than the other, but regardless, I still find it somewhat sad that two coaches who put a lot of time and effort into their programs will no longer be coaching them.

First of all, I would like to say thanks to all of those who I spoke with at Catty on Monday night outside the board room.

I talked to at least three or four people whose comments didn't make the newspaper because of space constraints.

Cory Chryst and Dennis Kelly, both members of the Catty coaching staff, had lots of good things to say about Tim Hurd. So did former player Kyle Reifinger, a 2001 graduate. And even a parent of a kid from another school, Gil Fuentes, said how Hurd helped his son, Gio, get into Moravian College through participation on Hurd's fall baseball team.

Those guys spoke from the heart about Hurd and it's obvious that they believe in the guy, and believe a wrong was committed. I wish I had the room to print their comments, but ran out.

Reifinger talked about how Hurd helped him get a teaching interview in Hurd's school district (East Penn).

"He was willing to throw my name out to his principal to help me get a job," Reifinger said. "He's just someone I was always able to go back to to get a reference, to get some kind of help. He's the type of guy who was always willing to help out his former players. When you graduated, he didn't forget about you. He was always there to help."

Chryst said people have no idea what Hurd has done for the program.

"He has set up a great fall program for the kids, he has connections to all of the area colleges, and I could keep going on and on," Chryst said. "So this puts a sour taste in your mouth. The kids who support Coach Hurd are not getting their say as much as they should, while those few who may be disappointed or disgruntled with the program are getting theirs."

In talking to both sides, it seems like a meeting that should have happened never did. Not sure who's fault that is, but it seems like there was a communication gap here.

Chryst said he had an idea to have an open forum with the community that never came to fruition.

"If there are concerns, let's talk about it," Chryst said. "Let's address things in the open rather than take your shots [in small groups]."

Kelly, the JV coach, said: "I've known Tim for 18 years. It seems to me that the kids who are happy with what has been going on were not considered. I hear a lot of innuendos about why this happened, but no reasons. I was at the last school board meeting and said I would answer any questions and no one said a word. Two days later in the newspaper, it's announced that the job was opened."

If you read the comments on this blog, you can see the back and forth continues.

Athletic director Tom Moll indicated to me that this was not a one-year decision, but something that had been a concern for several years, even before he became AD.

I honestly have never seen Tim Hurd coach a game, being the softball beat person in the spring for our newspaper.

But I do know that guys who get emotional and passionate and who express their feelings (i.e. get in a player's face when he or she does something wrong) -- all standard stuff in coaching for years and years -- now are endangered species. You even look at the college scene and you see more politicians like Jim Tressel and less fiery icons like Bo Schembechler and Woody Hayes. It's the way we're going in all of sports.

Parents of previous generations backed the coaches. Now, they often regard coaches as obstacles to what their goals are for their kids and we see more and more transfers and we see disenchanted families and hear about complaints about coaches more than ever before. We see more parents put more emphasis on AAU and club and travel teams than their high school teams because they feel they have more control in AAU and club/travel etc.

Remember, this is the "It's all about me" generation. We see it in attendance figures at games. Kids would rather spend their nights texting away on their cell phones than go to a game to support their classmates.

But I digress.

Coaches can't just know their sport, and put their heart and soul into it. They better be great schmoozers and butt-smoochers with the parents and they also better make sure they're in good stead with everybody at their schools -- including ADs, principals, board members etc. They have to be as much politician as tactician if they want to last, but the reality is that some coaches just aren't going to be politically correct all of the time.

I do know that despite his success at Northern Lehigh, Oertner was not the most popular guy. While I got along with Rich fine and respected the job he did -- I even spoke at their team banquet back in the spring -- I do know that some people within that school regarded him as arrogant and as a guy who thought he could get away with anything.

So, when he gave them a chance to get him with this bizarre hood-surfing incident -- they pounced.

But I don't think for a minute this was only about that incident. There was baggage in the background there. Oertner, like virtually every high school coach, especially those who have attained some kind of success, had his detractors.

Obviously, Hurd had his, too, if you read the comments on this blog. If you coach in any one place for a long period of time, you're bound to get people who don't like you, people who have felt slighted, and people who will try to reach the ears of those in power to state their case.

And that's not just with parents, but possibly with coaches from other sports within your school. I know that was also an issue with Oertner, who had a few disagreements with football coaches at Northern Lehigh over the years.

I've heard from several people today -- and it's only 10:10 a.m. as I finish this post -- who can't believe all that has gone on.

In the current state of high school sports, I can't say I am surprised by anything.

If you don't like what's going on now, just wait.