Truhan To Remain As Head Girls Varsity Basketball Coach This Year

by Patricia A. Miller

Central Regional girls varsity basketball coach John Truhan will be the head coach this year, despite complaints by some parents that he bullied and harassed their children.

Truhan must follow the directives in a personnel action plan approved by the Board of Education earlier this year, Superintendent Triantafillos Parlapanides said Wednesday.

“If the action plan is not followed, then he will be removed from coaching,” Parlapanides said. “But if he does follow it, we will have a tremendous season for everyone.”

Truhan’s status was discussed by several parents at the Oct. 14 Board of Education meeting.

Resident Sherri Doan urged board members to “talk to the girls.”

“This is not a popularity contest,” Doan said. “This is what’s right for the girls. Do not dismiss the horrible things he did.”

But parent Scott Mahnken - whose daughters played for Truhan - gave an impassioned speech in his defense.

“John Truhan has done a hell of a job,” Mahnken said.’You have 12 kids on a team and you can only play eight of them.”

The district has already investigated the matter after some parents filed an HIB (Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying) report. But the complaints were determined to be unfounded, Parlapanides has said.

The district’s HIB specialist and assistant principal investigated any reports from all students involved and the coach, he said.

The results have to meet certain criteria and show some type of effect, like absenteeism or grade drops. The report is then reviewed by the investigators and school principal, Parlapanides said

“The principal then gives me the results and I recommend to the full board, which can then overturn my ruling or go along with my ruling,” he has said.

The parents with the complaints about Truhan were allowed to contribute new information, but that did not overturn the HIB results, Parlapanides said.

The rest of the girls varsity basketball coaching staff consists of Darryl Heale, a former assistant basketball coach at the Southern Regional and Manchester school districts and former Central head basketball coach Andrienne Cangelosi-Schafer, he said.

“It is a tremendous staff that will work well with Mr. Truhan and most importantly the girls on the team, Parlapanides said .Wednesday.

The first meeting for girls interested in playing basketball is slated for Oct. 27 after school, he said.