Moon Hires New Head Football Coach

A former Aliquippa High School defensive coordinator has been named head coach of the football team.

The Moon Area School Board approved the hiring of Mark Washington as the team's new head coach at its meeting Monday night, but parents in attendance expressed dismay that the district didn't hire a faculty member for the position.

Washington previously was employed as a football coach in the Aliquippa School District. Former Moon head resigned from his position March 28, citing his inability to secure a full-time teaching position in the district as the reason for his departure.

Several parents told the board that they would have preferred that a current staff member or another member of the coaching staff be hired for the position. District solicitor Jack Cambest repeatedly warned members of the audience not to discuss at the meeting the names of specific individuals who had applied for the job.    

"Several years ago when we got a new coach we had upheaval," said one parent who spoke at the meeting but declined to give her name. "He was new to the district, and there was a lot of upheaval. Now we're going through it again, and we're going to have complete and total upheaval."

Board member Jerry Testa said the district considered 27 applicants for the position. He called Washington an "outstanding individual."

The district's student activity committee recommended hiring Washington. The board met in executive session to discuss the new hire prior to the meeting.

"The discussion took up 40 minutes of our one-hour discussion," said board member Rosemarie Varsanik. "It was discussed at length and in depth. I was satisfied with the decision of the committee."

Washington became emotional while addressing the board at the meeting, promising parents that he was dedicated to the position.

"I am a man who will give it my all," he said. "We will build a winning tradition here."  

Washington said the team would have its first meeting at 2:15 this afternoon.