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Sports

Bears still in hunt for coach

By DAVID MURPHY
Published June 16, 2006

BROOKSVILLE - For Jeff Spivey, it's a lesson.

For the future coach of the Central basketball team, it's another chance.

Spivey, new to his role as Central athletic director, thought he had found a replacement for long-time coach John Sedlack when a high school coach from Connecticut accepted the offer.

But 24 hours later, the coach, Denis Freeman, changed his mind.

"Lesson one for an athletic director: don't put all your eggs in one basket," said Spivey, a long-time basketball coach who was an assistant at Central for a few years under Sedlack.

After "going back to the drawing board," Spivey said he hopes to hire a coach within a week or two. This time, though, he isn't going to put a timetable on it.

"I want to keep my word this time," he said with a laugh.

One candidate is Eric Hayes, an assistant coach at Tampa Catholic who also has applied for the coaching vacancy at Crystal River. Hayes was a leading candidate when Spivey offered the job to Freeman and is still in the running.

Currently, Hayes is attempting to obtain his teacher's certification in math.

"Right now, I'm just looking to get a chance," Hayes said. "If I'm given the opportunity, I will succeed."

Spivey said he was excited at the prospect of hiring Freeman, but the coach "couldn't pull the trigger" on leaving his long-time home.

Freeman has been at Old Sayebrook for 15 years and two years ago won a state title.

"To be honest, he reminded me a lot of John," Spivey said in reference to Sedlack, who went 253-236 in 18 seasons at Central.

[Last modified June 16, 2006, 07:01:45]