Monessen board considers hiring new football coach

By ERIC SEIVERLING

eseiverling@yourmvi.com

Faced with a shortage of players and the possibility of another COVID-shortened season, the Monessen School Board is discussing hiring a new head football coach.

At their informational meeting this week, school directors discussed hiring Wade Brown, a Duquesne High School graduate and a former semi-pro player, as head football coach at Monessen High School.

Brown would succeed former coach Shane Swope, who left the program in October after one season.

The district’s experience with Swope caused some school directors to question the hiring of a football coach so early in the year.

“We rushed to hire that second coach and look what happened,” school director Cindy Pawelec said. “They can’t practice anyway. Can’t we hold off on this? Is there a reason we have to hurry up and hire a football coach?”

But other school directors and Superintendent Dr. Leanne Spazak said bringing in a coach now gives the program adequate time to prepare for the fall season.

“If he’s not an official coach, how can he be reaching out to our students and trying to get players?” Spazak asked.

“I know it sounds crazy, but he’ll have time to put things in place,” board President Sharon Mauck said. “This guy’s been around. He knows the work he has to put in with these kids.”

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