MENTONE -ÊDuane Burkhart calls losing Mike Walters as girls basketball coach and Gregg Sciarra as boys basketball coach the toughest thing he's had to deal with in his three years as Tippecanoe Valley athletic director.

"Definitely," he said. "I consider Gregg and Mike friends, so it's tough to deal with a situation like this. You want to see good things happen to good people. You want to see coaches be successful.

"When you talk to basketball officials, you talk to other coaches around, there's been a lot of positive things said about both men. I respect the effort they put in. Both represented Tippecanoe Valley in a professional manner."

Burkhart was attending an athletic directors' conference in Indianapolis on Monday and Tuesday and could not be reached for comment on the changes. Board members contacted preferred that he answer questions concerning reasons Sciarra's contract was not renewed.

He returned to school Wednesday and answered those questions, stressing that he was speaking on behalf of the Tippecanoe Valley School administration.

"I guess the bottom line was, there were concerns," he said. "Mike resigned, so that was by his choice.

"In my fact finding, there was a consensus that a change of direction with the boys basketball program was needed. I guess as far as actual reasoning, it was based on people I talked to. They said they were ready for a change in direction in our boys basketball program.

"I think Gregg even said it himself, when he talked about rejuvenating the program. I've been there. I've coached. It takes a toll on you and wears you out. Both coaches put numerous hours in."

Now Burkhart faces the daunting task of searching for two basketball coaches at the same time, something he said "doesn't happen often."

Valley is accepting applications, and no deadline has been set. The boys basketball coach must have a valid teaching license, but the girls coach need not be a school employee.

"We'd like to fill the positions as soon as possible, but there's no deadline," Burkhart said. "Ideally, it would be nice to have our coaches in place by the end of school. That's ideally. It may not happen."

Asked if he has begun contacting potential coaches, Burkhart said no. When Burkhart resigned as girls basketball coach to take the athletic director's job - he led Valley to seven Three Rivers Conference titles in eight years - he left open the idea of returning to coaching.

This still is not the time.

"No, I'm not interested," he said.

So now he will interview others who are interested, interested in getting into this business of coaching.

"There are always people who are satisfied, and there are always those who are unsatisfied," Burkhart said. "Gregg won a basketball sectional for us, which was great for him, the kids, the school and the community.

"Sometimes bad things happen to good people. Several people have respected the job Gregg has done over the years. Other coaches have gone on record as far as his game plans and strategy.

"Let's face it: In coaching, sometimes coaches get too much credit for when they win, and they get too much blame when things don't go well." [[In-content Ad]]