Mr. Buddy Garrity
01-19-2006, 01:41 PM
Mackey tabs Sinegal interim AD
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By Dave Rogers - The News staff writer Posted: 01/18/06 - 11:32:14 pm CST
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Here's hoping Tuesday's second interim athletic director of the day for the Port Arthur school district wasn't as surprised as the fellow who wore the title Tuesday morning.
Late Tuesday afternoon, PAISD superintendent Willis Mackey announced via a fax to school board members that Michael Sinegal, a Port Arthur city councilman and the head coach at Memorial High's Ninth Grade Campus, would be the district's interim athletic director until a replacement can be hired for Dean Colbert.
Colbert turned in his resignation as AD and head football coach Jan. 6 and was hired Jan. 10 as head football coach at Humble Atascocita High.
He was shocked at lunch time Tuesday when a reporter told him that just hours earlier Mackey told The News he expected Colbert to be the school's interim athletic director until the school board could vote to accept his resignation at its regular monthly meeting Jan. 26.
"Coach Colbert is under contract with us until we accept his resignation," Mackey said during a Tuesday morning interview in his office. Mackey said it after he referred a reporter to Colbert to answer questions about the state of Port Arthur's athletic program.
Officials with the Humble school district said last week they expected Colbert to be on the job at their yet-to-open school Tuesday.
Certainly Colbert didn't expect to hear he had work still to do in Port Arthur.
"I didn't know anything about that," Colbert said at mid-day Monday at his home. "I'm about to turn this (cell) phone in and turn my keys in and all that.
"I don't know. I guess I'll check with him. As far as I know, I was told I had no further obligations."
Mackey had said on Jan. 6, when it was unknown if, or how soon Colbert would land another job, that he expected Colbert to take sick leave for the remainder of his days on the PAISD payroll.
But last Wednesday, before leaving his office for a five-day weekend, Mackey faxed an answer to a Monday question by The News, one that asked who would be interim athletic director. The answer was Colbert.
It seemed odd, but Tuesday morning, Mackey confirmed it.
"Coach Colbert is under contract with us until the 26th," Mackey said Tuesday morning. "When the board takes action to accept his resignation, then he is released from his duties."
Colbert could not be reached for comment Tuesday night. Neither could The News reach Sinegal or Mackey.
For the fifth time in the six school days since he turned in his resignation -- a resignation Colbert admitted Tuesday wasn't his idea -- the only head football coach and AD that Memorial High has known was absent from the school.
Assistant coaches did their best to assist a couple of college football recruiters who came by in mid-morning, including one from national champion Texas. But the highlight tapes and other key recruiting information Colbert compiles to help his seniors get college scholarships was locked in Colbert's office, unavailable to his coaches or the recruiters.
"I know the recruiting season is on. I know there are coaches coming in and all," he said. "But I'm in a situation up there (at Humble), shoot, we've got to get things going, or else we're going to be in trouble."
Colbert was referring to hiring an all-sports staff of 37 coaches for Atascocita High, which will split off Humble High and open as a Class 5A school next fall. It could be a District 22-5A opponent for Memorial.
"I've got to go (to Humble)," he said. "I meant to be up there for the athletic period today, but it's been so crazy."
School board president Julia Samuels said Tuesday night she'll do what she can to get a quick release for Colbert. She has called for a special board meeting Friday so the board can accept Colbert's resignation.
"I want that position posted as soon as possible," Samuels said
The resignation was amended Friday by Colbert. Originally, it said he wanted the resignation to be effective June 30, at the end of his contract. But with him scheduled to go on the Humble payroll Feb. 1, he made his resignation effective Feb. 1.
"It should have been on our agenda for December," trustee Donna Worthington said Tuesday, "but it didn't make it and now it's dragging out.
"We're ready to interview and get the thing going, so we won't lose out on some good coaches."
Mackey didn't offer a direct answer when asked if he was concerned that it was so long after the conclusion of football season that PAISD might miss out on some good candidates.
"I feel that we will open the job up," he said. "It'll be a state-wide search.
"And whoever applies, we're going to pick five or six people probably to interview. We'll go through the applicants, look at things, and try to find a good fit for Port Arthur."
In the meantime, Sinegal's the go-to guy for Port Arthur athletics.
"Coach Senigal (sic) is a native of Port Arthur and a 1976 Thomas Jefferson graduate," Mackey's fax to board members said. "He has taught and coached in the district for twelve years. He has overseen all ninth grade sports for the past four years."
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By Dave Rogers - The News staff writer Posted: 01/18/06 - 11:32:14 pm CST
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here's hoping Tuesday's second interim athletic director of the day for the Port Arthur school district wasn't as surprised as the fellow who wore the title Tuesday morning.
Late Tuesday afternoon, PAISD superintendent Willis Mackey announced via a fax to school board members that Michael Sinegal, a Port Arthur city councilman and the head coach at Memorial High's Ninth Grade Campus, would be the district's interim athletic director until a replacement can be hired for Dean Colbert.
Colbert turned in his resignation as AD and head football coach Jan. 6 and was hired Jan. 10 as head football coach at Humble Atascocita High.
He was shocked at lunch time Tuesday when a reporter told him that just hours earlier Mackey told The News he expected Colbert to be the school's interim athletic director until the school board could vote to accept his resignation at its regular monthly meeting Jan. 26.
"Coach Colbert is under contract with us until we accept his resignation," Mackey said during a Tuesday morning interview in his office. Mackey said it after he referred a reporter to Colbert to answer questions about the state of Port Arthur's athletic program.
Officials with the Humble school district said last week they expected Colbert to be on the job at their yet-to-open school Tuesday.
Certainly Colbert didn't expect to hear he had work still to do in Port Arthur.
"I didn't know anything about that," Colbert said at mid-day Monday at his home. "I'm about to turn this (cell) phone in and turn my keys in and all that.
"I don't know. I guess I'll check with him. As far as I know, I was told I had no further obligations."
Mackey had said on Jan. 6, when it was unknown if, or how soon Colbert would land another job, that he expected Colbert to take sick leave for the remainder of his days on the PAISD payroll.
But last Wednesday, before leaving his office for a five-day weekend, Mackey faxed an answer to a Monday question by The News, one that asked who would be interim athletic director. The answer was Colbert.
It seemed odd, but Tuesday morning, Mackey confirmed it.
"Coach Colbert is under contract with us until the 26th," Mackey said Tuesday morning. "When the board takes action to accept his resignation, then he is released from his duties."
Colbert could not be reached for comment Tuesday night. Neither could The News reach Sinegal or Mackey.
For the fifth time in the six school days since he turned in his resignation -- a resignation Colbert admitted Tuesday wasn't his idea -- the only head football coach and AD that Memorial High has known was absent from the school.
Assistant coaches did their best to assist a couple of college football recruiters who came by in mid-morning, including one from national champion Texas. But the highlight tapes and other key recruiting information Colbert compiles to help his seniors get college scholarships was locked in Colbert's office, unavailable to his coaches or the recruiters.
"I know the recruiting season is on. I know there are coaches coming in and all," he said. "But I'm in a situation up there (at Humble), shoot, we've got to get things going, or else we're going to be in trouble."
Colbert was referring to hiring an all-sports staff of 37 coaches for Atascocita High, which will split off Humble High and open as a Class 5A school next fall. It could be a District 22-5A opponent for Memorial.
"I've got to go (to Humble)," he said. "I meant to be up there for the athletic period today, but it's been so crazy."
School board president Julia Samuels said Tuesday night she'll do what she can to get a quick release for Colbert. She has called for a special board meeting Friday so the board can accept Colbert's resignation.
"I want that position posted as soon as possible," Samuels said
The resignation was amended Friday by Colbert. Originally, it said he wanted the resignation to be effective June 30, at the end of his contract. But with him scheduled to go on the Humble payroll Feb. 1, he made his resignation effective Feb. 1.
"It should have been on our agenda for December," trustee Donna Worthington said Tuesday, "but it didn't make it and now it's dragging out.
"We're ready to interview and get the thing going, so we won't lose out on some good coaches."
Mackey didn't offer a direct answer when asked if he was concerned that it was so long after the conclusion of football season that PAISD might miss out on some good candidates.
"I feel that we will open the job up," he said. "It'll be a state-wide search.
"And whoever applies, we're going to pick five or six people probably to interview. We'll go through the applicants, look at things, and try to find a good fit for Port Arthur."
In the meantime, Sinegal's the go-to guy for Port Arthur athletics.
"Coach Senigal (sic) is a native of Port Arthur and a 1976 Thomas Jefferson graduate," Mackey's fax to board members said. "He has taught and coached in the district for twelve years. He has overseen all ninth grade sports for the past four years."