Community paints picture of Don Dimoff for Red Lion school board
Don Dimoff wasn’t in the Red Lion Junior High School cafeteria on Thursday, May 21.
But he was the main topic of conversation at the district’s school board meeting.
More than 150 people were on hand to recognize elementary school writers and talk about the girls basketball coach, whose position was opened after 30 years with the program.
“Before we move into public comment, I wanted to address one point of clarification regarding a matter that has generated significant public discussion,” board president John Blevins said. “The district administration made the decision not to renew a coaching contract as part of the normal annual review process. This was not a mid-season termination or disciplinary action taken by the board during a public meeting.
“Because this involves a personnel matter, the board and administration are limited in what can appropriately be discussed publicly. We will continue to respect these confidentiality obligations while conducting tonight’s meeting in accordance with legal requirements, board policy and established procedures.”
Blevins didn’t mention Dimoff by name, but the more than one dozen people who spoke during the public comment section did.
Meeting attendees learned a lot about Dimoff in the 52 minutes of comment.
He’s successful, he’s loyal, he cares, he eats, sleeps and breathes Red Lion girls basketball.
He’s loud, he’s brash, he’s a screamer, he’s disrespectful.
He instilled such a loyalty in players and their parents across his 30-year career that many spoke on his behalf.
"Dimmie is like a second father, even though sometimes he is the last person you want to talk to,” freshman Allison Shellenberger said. “When he yells and screams at us, he isn’t mean. He wants us to be better. He’s the first person to tell us ‘good job.’”
Shellenberger asked a question similar to several speakers: Why weren’t players, former players and assistant coaches talked to before this decision was made?
“I think the district grossly underestimated how much we care about this,” former player Laura Koons said. “I have two boys, so I have no vested interest going forward. I’m not looking for a single detail about why Dimmie was let go. But I hope those who made the decision really struggled with this, lost sleep over this. Both sides deserved to be heard, and the board didn’t give Dimmie the opportunity.”
Koons, like many speakers, recognized that the board is in a difficult position. But they also said the board has the ability to reverse the decision.
That sentiment was repeated by many of the speakers.
Jim Becker said he’s lived in the district for 38 years, but this was the first time he felt compelled to attend a meeting. His reason was simple. His two daughters played for Dimoff.
“We have had great school boards in that time, and we have a great one now,” he said. “I don’t know how we got here, but I hope the school board takes a deeper look at this.”
Charles Shaw was another father compelled to do something outside of his comfort zone for Dimoff.
“I’m not a public speaker, but I’m willing to stand up and speak for this man,” said Shaw, whose daughter played for Dimoff before a career at Millersville. “He was part of my daughter’s village. Basketball is more than putting a basketball through a hoop. Life lessons are taught in sports.”
It is some of those lessons that led one woman to speak in favor of the decision. She told the board she didn’t plan on speaking, but felt her voice needed to be heard because it was opposite to everything that was being said.
She recalled going to her first girls basketball game two years ago and “being appalled” at what she saw on the sidelines. She said the Red Lion coach was screaming at the kids in ways that no child deserved.
Others were quick to defend the coach, who has more than 620 wins on the Red Lion sidelines.
Lisa Harlacher was one of the last to stand up.
“I am a Red Lion graduate, as is my husband,” she said. “My two daughters played. As a parent, I’m appalled that you came up and said that you’re appalled at the way he treated the girls. Do you think as a mother I would let my girls play for somebody who did that? He respected those girls. It’s just disrespectful. I used to be so proud of Red Lion, but this has taken a lot of pride out of me.”
And as his supporters were leaving the meeting following the public comment, they probably missed the vote that approved the slate of fall high school coaches − including Dimoff as golf coach.
Shelly Stallsmith covers York-Adams high school sports for GameTimePA and the USAToday Network. Connect with her by email mstallsmith@ydr.com or on X, formerly Twitter, @ShelStallsmith.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Community goes to bat for ousted Red Lion girls basketball coach
What's Your Reaction?
like
0
dislike
0
love
0
funny
0
angry
0
sad
0
wow
0
