High school basketball coach getting paid six figures

FROM KEITH GROLLER
Everybody I know in high school athletics is quite concerned about the future.

Budget cuts are in the news and portions of athletic programs may soon be on the chopping block, if they're not already.

High school sports as we know it, is set to change and change for the worse. My guess is that within five to 10 years, you won't recognize it.

And while everyone in our area is sweating it out and fearing what's coming, I get news of a high school boys basketball coach getting paid $130,000.

The coach is Kevin Boyle.

Lehigh Valley area basketball fans should know him.

He has been here many times coaching his St. Patrick's team from Elizabeth, N.J., in the Lehigh Valley Hoop Group Showcase at Lehigh and Parkland. He's a favorite of the folks who run The Hoop Group. And why not?

Boyle built St. Pat's into a national power and produced many Division I college players and future NBA standouts like Al Harrington and Sam Dalembert. He was a three-time national coach of the year, while at the same time getting into hot water with the New Jersey State Athletic Association.

In fact, last year, St. Pat’s was banned from the state tournament for holding illegal out-of-season workouts, which Boyle admitted to holding.

But that's behind him now because earlier this month Boyle accepted a job at Montverde (Fla.) Academy.

And the job pays well. Very well.

Several websites, including Rivals.yahoo.com are reporting that Boyle will receive $130,000 to coach at Montverde Academy. That's more than a few Division I college coaches make.

And that's not all.

According to multiple sources, Boyle will also get a car and a four-bedroom home across the street from the school. Remember, too, that Florida has no state income tax and the cost of living is cheaper than in New Jersey.

Area basketball coaches, even the best ones like Jim Hutnik, Doug Snyder, Pat Boyle, Ron Hassler and Chad Landis, have to wonder where they went wrong. I have no idea of their salaries, but they're lucky if they're making five figures to coach basketball.

I am not sure why a school like Montverde, already a national power, would pay Boyle this much.

Are the kids he is getting paying the school vast amounts of tuition dough? I doubt it.

Do they charge NBA prices for Montverde home games? Doubt that as well.

There must be big-time money to be made somewhere and someone figures Boyle is worth all of this dough.

It will be interesting to see if The Hoop Group could ever get him back into the Lehigh Valley for an event.

I remember Boyle being quite complimentary about the facilities at Parkland when he was here.

However, considering the cushy locale he's in now, Boyle might look down his nose at Parkland or anything else we have here.


http://blogs.mcall.com/groller/