[A Pennsylvania Coach]

Been lurking a bit, not sure why I stopped posting. Last spring I quit my coaching job after four years. Work demands were increasing and my passion had dropped a bit. I planned to take a year or two away from coaching, and maybe officiate. I did several games in the summer, then got a letter from the PIAA that I was suspended for not attending meetings. (Some may remember I passed the test in the summer of 2003, thinking I'd do a little officiating on the side.) I never went to meetings because I was still coaching and not officiating, and didn't realize there would be repercussions.

However, the timing wasn't bad after all. One of my childhood friends finally got his chance as a varsity head coach, at a Quad-A (big) school that he teaches at. I couldn't say no, so I took the varsity assistant job. It's a perfect fit--I still get plenty of influence without the level of commitment required of a head coach, making almost just as much, and at a big school without the struggles of a small school (sharing athletes among sports). We had a decent year with a very young team, 7-16 but we could've made our league playoffs with a win on the final night.

I never followed up on the officiating; I think I'm retired from that. Coaching is in my blood--next year will be my tenth as a high school coach. The head job just opened up at my alma mater, so I might apply there or stay where I am.

Good to see all the same characters are here--I'll try to get back to some level of active status. Poker has taken over much of my free time (and it pays better than coaching or officiating) but I'll be around.