End of an era? Pergola’s job opened at Ringgold
By JEREMY SELLEW
jsellew@yourmvi.com
With over 600 wins and a state championship in over 50 seasons on the sidelines, Phil Pergola knows how things go when it comes to decision making in a school district.
After reaching the postseason and the state tournament the past two seasons, the veteran head coach had his job opened as the Ringgold boys basketball coach.
The district’s school board voted to open all winter sport head coaching positions with the exception of the swimming and diving job because of “unique circumstances” as Ringgold athletic director Laura Grimm said. The swimming team will be on the road throughout the entire season due to an issue with Ringgold’s pool.
“That’s why the situation is what it is. I figured with being entirely off campus, we wanted to maintain the coaching staff with someone that’s here in the school, that knows the kids and are in the building,” Grimm said.
Besides Pergola, another coach whose contract was not renewed was wrestling coach Todd Miller. The girls basketball position was already open after the resignation of Lindsy Muchnock last month.
“In May, Phil and I talked during our meeting and I told him I felt that was the direction we were going to go. It wasn’t a personal thing against Phil. The last thing I would do to Phil is treat him unprofessionally. I have a lot of respect for him and the job he did over the past few seasons,” Grimm said. “After the board and I had a committee meeting on June 17, I talked to him before that and told him this is still where we were. He understood that.”
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