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NORTH MANCHESTER - Parents of students on the Manchester High School junior varsity volleyball team are concerned with the professionalism of the coaching staff.
Parents Cindy Roser and Teri Lehman met Monday with MHS principal Nancy Alspaugh, athletic director Steve Schumaker, varsity volleyball coach Mike West and several other parents. They also presented a handout to the school board at a regular board meeting Tuesday.
"We want to help you create continuity and longevity in the volleyball program, including our athletics department across the board," Roser said.
Junior varsity volleyball coach Steve Olson resigned his position Tuesday. Roser said immediate concerns of parents included the replacement of Olson and the "care, custody and control of our children under coach Mike West."
Olson's replacement was announced at the meeting. Katie Zile was approved as the new junior varsity coach. Neither Roser nor Lehman had a problem with Zile's appointment.
"She's a good kid," Lehman said. "When I say kid, I just mean because she's younger." Lehman said she knew Zile and felt she would do a good job as the new coach.
Although Roser and Lehman both approved of the high school's new appointment, Roser said parents of the junior varsity volleyball team are still unhappy with the current coach hiring techniques at MHS and are concerned with "the future of the entire volleyball program."
"This brings us to a consecutive year in which we find ourselves very disappointed and discouraged in the volleyball program as a whole. You would be remiss to underestimate the magnitude of our frustration and how upset we have become," Roser said.
The parents want better coach recruitment practices. They suggested using the Internet and advertising in a larger area. They also want more thorough reference checks of applicants by the MHS hiring staff.
"Are we really doing good, thorough checks?" Roser asked. "We want to help prevent future coach resignations or dismissals."
She said the "constant rotation of coaches" is destroying the student athletes' spirit, and "it's not good for our reputation as a school."
Roser said coaches have been in and out of positions quickly, at least in the last four years. She believes the school system has lost professionalism and would like the school board to consider involving a few parents in the interview process of hiring coaches.
Roser said parents want to see more of a focus on good sportsmanship. She said good sportsmanship is attitude and behavior, and everyone can work on their attitude and behavior, including fans, players, coaches and officials.
"We all need to set a good example for our kids in school," Roser said. "I think we need to get back to a (more) professional level."
Board members thanked Roser and Lehman for their concerns and said they would look over their handout and work on some answers for them.
