Parents, Students Will Rally To Support Andover Coaches

ANDOVER, MA — A group of Andover parents, students and athletic supporters plan to rally in front of the Old Town Hall on Main Street at 9:30 Saturday morning. Organizers -- who have also started a petition to protest the firing of the school's hockey coach and a GoFundMe camapaign to purchase signs -- organized Saturday's protest through social media. The move comes after Monday's dismissal of Chris Kuchar as hockey coach and a walkout by Andover High students on Tuesday.

While school officials did not suspend any students for participating in Tuesday's walkout, four students were suspended for leaving school property to speak with television news crews that had set up across the street from the school. In a statement Tuesday, school officials said they supported the "students' right to voice their concerns" and that no students had been suspended for participating in the rally.

Kuchar was told Monday he would not be asked back to coach the hockey team next year. In January 2018, Kuchar and two other coaches were accused of withholding food and water from players. Kuchar and the other two coaches were cleared in an investigation by the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families, which determined the accusations were unfounded.

Andover Superintendent Sheldon Berman tried to have Kuchar removed in 2016. Berman asked the athletic director and high school principal to remove Kuchar because the way his son, Dale Haavind-Berman, who played for the team at the time, was treated.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).