Pocono Mountain East basketball coach resigns

FROM KEITH GROLLER

Patrick Heaton, who guided Pocono Mountain East to the District 11 4A title game in 2009, has resigned as the school's boys basketball coach.

There are a couple of factors that weighed into his decision.

One is the impending cuts of up to 160 teachers in the Pocono Mountain School District. Heaton's teaching position is expected to be cut at the end of the current school year.

The other is the health of Heaton's wife, Tara, who has been battling a digestive order and has been hospitalized several times.

In his five seasons after replacing Bron Holland, East went 87-42 and qualified for the District 11 all five years.

The high point was the 2008-2009 season when the Cardinals went 23-6 and reached the district finals before losing to Parkland 76-65. They then lost to John Bartram 72-67 in the first round of the state tournament.

In an e-mail to me, Heaton said: "I never reached the level that I desired, but I hope that I at least pushed the level of basketball in the MVC to play with the LVC boys. Hopefully I land a spot to continue to coach in the area, but if I do not, I will have fond memories."

Athletic director Bob Bailey seemed somewhat hopeful that somehow, someway, Heaton could be brought back, although he said he didn't know all of the "ins and outs" of the situation. And he said that he couldn't comment on any personnel issues.

But he praised Heaton.

"He's done a lot of great things for our kids and hopefully something will still work out here or somewhere else for him," Bailey said. "He just felt it would be best that he resigned for the kids' sake right now because it looks like he needs to find a job and he doesn't want to hold up the offseason stuff for the kids.

"The thing about Patrick is that he has given the kids opportunities to use sports to better their lives through education. Lamont Tillery, who was a member of a championship team at East Stroudsburg University this year, is a perfect example. He's really proud of helping kids. Our program, under his leadership, was one of the best in the area. I thought he did a great job, particularly stepping in for Bron, who also had great success here. He picked up where Bron left off. He maintained a high standard."


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