Heeb says no reason given for SCC coach openings

Whatever action the Scott County Central school board took on the status of David Heeb probably took place at the board of education meeting July 2, although no one with the school has disclosed that information yet.

Heeb, who held the positions of athletic director and boys basketball coach, also hasn't been a given full explanation, he told the Southeast Missourian on Tuesday night. Heeb said he was told "a day or two" prior to Friday's posting of the jobs that the district was opening all of its coaching positions.

"I have not been given any explanation, really," Heeb said. "I have no idea. Hopefully, we'll sit down and talk about it in the next week."

Heeb has been retained as a teacher in the school district, he said Tuesday.

The board's last meeting was July 2, an employee in the school's administrative office said Tuesday. She could not give information on any votes or actions at that meeting that may have created the school's vacancies with the athletic director and the boys basketball and varsity track coaching positions.

The district also is seeking coaches for softball, baseball and girls basketball.

The school superintendent, Dr. Joel Holland, is on vacation and has not returned calls to his cell phone nor a message left with the school's administrative office. School board president Mark Freed also did not return calls Tuesday.

Heeb was hired as the district's AD and boys basketball coach in the summer of 2005 after he had held those same positions at Bell City for five years.

He added the track duties when the program was launched this past spring.

But he also sat out as the basketball coach in 2006-07 after a suspension from the Missouri State High School Activities Association was going to prohibit him from coaching or attending games in the second semester of the season, including the state playoff series. MSHSAA had cited Heeb for undue influence in attempting to get players to transfer from Bell City to Scott County Central. Holland helped represent the district last year in getting the penalties overturned and reduced. Heeb has filed a lawsuit, still pending, against MSHSAA and Bell City.

Scott County Central won Class 1 district championships the past two years, stretching its string to four, and has lost to Bell City in the sectional round all four years.

The positions were among a host of coaching vacancies -- including softball, baseball and girls basketball -- posted last Friday on a Web site for teaching jobs in Missouri.

No district official has spoken about the circumstances that created the vacancies.

The Southeast Missourian on Tuesday evening sent a request for the minutes of the July 2 meeting to Scott County Central administrators via e-mail and fax. Under the Sunshine Law in Missouri, any votes or actions must be announced by the board 72 hours from the meeting and that failure to do so is a violation of the state law.

The employee in the school's administrative office said she had not seen the minutes from the meeting and that Holland had them.

Heeb said the timing of the move was curious. He had been renewed in the spring as the AD, boys basketball coach and track coach, he said, which is customary with schools retaining coaches. The girls basketball coaching position, to replace Semona Penrod, came open in May.

Heeb, who expects to meet with Holland when the superintendent returns from vacation, said he would like to be considered for the positions he held.

"I would like to be the coach here next year," he said.