Kelly school board listens as coach's supporters speak

About 140 people crammed into the band room at Kelly High School on Thursday night to talk with the Kelly School District Board of Education about the girls basketball program.

The board listened.

One week after voting 4-3 not to renew Rod McQuerter's contract as the basketball coach, the board apparently changed direction and rehired McQuerter.

McQuerter was informed of the decision late Thursday night, a source close to the coach confirmed.

School officials did not comment on the vote Thursday night. The minutes of the closed personnel session were not to be released to the public until today.

During Thursday's public session, members of the board - as is customary in personnel issues -- were not in a position to comment.

But they did plenty of listening as a group of citizens representing most of the people assembled in the room took the opportunity to sing the praises of McQuerter, who had assembled an 88-23 record in four seasons.

Kelly cross country coach Janie Merrick coordinated the efforts of the group -- which included parents Linda Essner and Danny Tetley, former Kelly players Cara Scherer and Julia Vetter, and the current players. Mindy Robert spoke for the 2003-04 Kelly team, with her teammates behind her and wearing T-shirts in support of McQuerter.

"He has been like our second dad," Robert told the board. "We believe no coach could fill his shoes. A team must have a heart. Coach Rod completes our team. He is our heart."

The board listened to roughly 30 minutes of testimony from those who wanted McQuerter reinstated. No one spoke otherwise on the issue.

"What you say is important to us," Kelly superintendent Don Moore said as the meeting began. He said the board was aware of the group's concerns and wanted to hear summations.

Responding to concernsThursday's special session was originally scheduled to consider personnel to fill some vacancies for the 2004-05 school year.

But after last week's action, parents and players on Monday spoke with Moore for more than two hours after school.

"We wanted to find out the procedure for this meeting tonight, and what we could and couldn't do," Tetley said after the meeting. "It took us by complete surprise," when McQuerter was not rehired.

Their presentation touched on facts -- McQuerter's record, three Scott-Mississippi Conference titles, three conference tournament titles and a district crown with a state quarterfinal appearance -- as well as the impact McQuerter has had on his players.

"He was not just a coach to the girls," Essner said. "He was a teacher, a role model, a mentor and a friend."

Essner said during the meeting that some complaints about McQuerter may have been directed to the board. Merrick also said, after praising McQuerter, "We do know that not all believe this way, and we respect their opinion."

McQuerter had been rehired as a teacher. He works with at-risk students in the middle school and high school.

The board last week also did not rehire boys basketball coach Nick Lanpher, who has been the coach three different times in the last 30 years. The boys team was 12-15 this past season.

Tim Scifres, an assistant to McQuerter for four years, attended the meeting to show support for McQuerter, though he did not address the board.

"He's been my friend for 11 years," Scifres said after the meeting. "He's an amazing motivator. His has an ability to get the girls to accomplish things that amazes me."

Scifres said he had been rehired in his position as an assistant and had not been contacted by the board to discuss any aspects of the program before last week's action.

"I haven't heard any reason why they did this or that," Scifres said. "I was glad we had the opportunity to have some dialogue. It was encouraging and touching to see that show of support from the players."

The board went into closed meeting following the public hearing to consider the personnel matters.

Moore said no timetable had been established to fill the boys basketball position.