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Barred coach wins appeal

Parks officials plan changes to improve background checks.

By SAUNDRA AMRHEIN
Published October 20, 2006

PLANT CITY - A convicted felon is back coaching youth football after being reinstated by a committee of volunteers, a move that angered referees and left county officials vowing to correct a confusing policy on background checks.

Armand Cotnoir won his appeal Thursday after his removal this month from a field while coaching the Plant City Dolphins.

Cotnoir, 31, a former Plant City police officer, served 14 months in federal prison after pleading guilty in 2002 to conspiracy to deprive civil rights, deprivation of civil rights, obstruction of justice and five counts of mail fraud. His case was part of a larger corruption probe in Plant City.

County parks officials said they hadn't done a background check on Cotnoir because the team was late submitting its coaches' application forms. When they heard of his background from a reporter, they asked him to leave the field.

Cotnoir appealed to a volunteer committee, which met Wednesday night and announced Thursday that Cotnoir could coach again.

Parks department director Mark Thornton said parks officials plan to adopt guidelines for next season that mirror those of the National Recreation and Park Association.

Those guidelines say volunteers automatically would be excluded from coaching, with no appeal, if they are convicted of certain crimes.

Under those policies, Cotnoir could not be considered for a coaching position until at least 2012.

[Last modified October 20, 2006, 01:23:22]