Coach's resignation may not help appeal

St. Petersburg Catholic's past violations are likely to carry more weight with the FHSAA.

By JOE SMITH and BOB PUTNAM
Published September 28, 2006

The surprise resignation of St. Petersburg Catholic football coach Dan Mancuso on Monday may have little or no effect on the school's pending appeal .

SPC is expected to ask the Florida High School Athletic Association board of directors Sunday for leniency on its $13,000 fine and three-year playoff ban for recruiting and illegal practices.

But one board member said a coach resigning on his own, without any action taken by the school, is typically not enough to overcome repeat offenses.

SPC was placed on administrative probation in 2000 and was ineligible for the playoffs in 2001 for separate recruiting violations.

"That would not help their case if that's the case - that's one of those deals where it looks like the coach didn't feel support so, 'I'm quitting,' " said Dr. Roger Dearing, superintendent for Manatee County public schools. "When you get repeated offenses and they happen sometimes, not often - not as often as this ... you have got to go beyond what the reasonable person would do to make sure it doesn't happen in the future."

SPC athletic director Ann Marie Mancuso, who is Dan's wife, and Brother Bill Hanna initially conducted an in-house investigation. Assistant coach Rod Williams stepped down, but Dan Mancuso was not reprimanded, said Father John Serio, the school's principal.

A working relationship like the Mancusos shared can create an ethical quagmire, some experts believe.

"It is absolutely problematic," said Sharon Hanna-West , distinguished lecturer of the Ethics and Sustainability Department of USF's College of Business Administration. "You're just asking for trouble. ... The reality of it is, the person who is in a supervisory role, there is a temptation to, let's say, cut some slack."

The Mancusos declined to comment for this article.

Serio said Ann Marie, who became athletic director in 2002, removed herself from most matters regarding the football team, allowing Hanna to serve as a liaison.

Before Mancuso's resignation, the three-member panel of attorneys assembled by the Diocese was preparing to make recommendations to eliminate any conflict of interest stemming from their relationship, said Robert Biasotti, one of the attorneys.

Pinellas County public schools do not allow married couples to work as athletic director and coach at the same school. The same with principals and teachers. Clearwater Central Catholic athletic director Bob Cotter, who has known the Mancusos several years, said his wife works in a different department at CCC. But Cotter, also a board member, said he wouldn't envy a couple working so close together.

"Can it create a difficult situation?" Cotter said. "My gosh, yes, particularly when these things happen, having to be with each other every day. I'm certainly sympathetic to what they have to handle."

But other board members might not be as sympathetic.

"When you get offenses, when there are several as we have here," Dearing said. "I would pretty much believe there's going to be some serious measures taken."

[Last modified September 28, 2006, 01:46:18]