Thursday, April 10, 2003

Board questions Kertes’ commitment

Published in the Current

Cape School Board member Kevin Sweeney questioned the wisdom of appointing longtime teacher and coach Kerry Kertes to serve as eighth-grade softball coach this spring because Kertes has threatened to quit over the firing of hoop Coach Jim Ray.

Sweeney made his comments at Tuesday’s regular School Board meeting, during discussion of proposed spring sports coaches.

Kertes, who also coaches the award-winning swim team, said last week that he would resign from his teaching and coaching jobs if Ray was not reinstated.

Sweeney said that statement called into question Kertes’ status as softball coach this season, because it was unclear whether Ray would be reinstated. “It would be unfair to that team to appoint a coach” who might walk away, Sweeney said.

Board members Jennifer DeSena and George Entwistle III spoke in defense of Kertes. DeSena said, “I would be surprised if he would leave the team
high and dry in the middle of the season.” She expected Kertes would give notice if he did decide to leave.

“This coach is committed to the team,” said Entwistle, who also noted the softball season had already started. Middle School Principal Nancy Hutton said the team’s first meeting was Tuesday.

Board member Susan Steinman agreed with Sweeney, but no other board members did, and Kertes was appointed to the position, along with a slate of other middle school spring-season coaches.