MOUNT CARMEL — Just one month after being hired, Frank Sheptock has resigned as an administrator and head football coach at Mount Carmel Area High School.
He is back at Berwick Area School District and will continue as its athletic director, the position he initially gave up to take over at his alma mater. George Curry will remain Berwick’s head football coach.
Sheptock confirmed his resignation Thursday, hours after texting Red Tornado players that he was stepping down. He said he informed Mount Carmel Superintendent Bernard Stellar of his intentions Wednesday, the last of several discussions between the two.
“After being there a couple days, I just felt that the situation wasn’t the right fit for me,” Sheptock said of Mount Carmel. “Before everyone got too far along in the process, it was best for me to remain the athletic director at Berwick.”
The resignation was a shocking turn of events and a letdown, Stellar said.
“We’re disappointed, as you would expect. We thought he could make a real impact at Mount Carmel Area, both on the football field and just with his presence in the school district,” Stellar said.
Sheptock, a 1982 Mount Carmel graduate, began working Monday as the district’s athletic director and secondary dean of students. He had already met several times with football players, including for weight training, since his hiring Dec. 11.
The night he got the job, Sheptock spoke about the program’s tradition and about his role in it. He’d only been out of coaching one year, but he was interested in returning to the sideline.
“I’ve always talked about trying to give back to the community, and this is my community,” he said at the time.
He offered no detail as to what caused his change of heart, denying any strife with district administration or school board members.
“No, there was none of that,” he said.
Sheptock hadn’t known the Red Tornado players long, but said he had made “instantaneous connections” with them. The texts the now ex-coach received from the players after his announcement were all positive, he said.
“I wish Mount Carmel the best. It’s a great program. They have great kids. I wish them the best,” he said.
‘Not going anywhere’
Wayne Brookhart, Berwick Area superintendent, suspected Sheptock was uneasy with leaving.
“Frank was in his office here until last Friday,” Brookhart said. “He called me Wednesday afternoon and I could tell he was having second thoughts. He asked me if he could reapply for the position and I told him we had never actually opened it because we hadn’t had a board meeting. I just told him to come to work.”
Sheptock was back at his office Thursday.
“The school board and the administration were gracious enough to allow me to remain as the athletic director,” Sheptock said.
Sheptock resigned at Wilkes University in 2013 to become athletic director and presumed coach-in-waiting for Curry. He’ll have to keep waiting.
“I was shocked to hear that Frank pulled out,” said Curry, 70. “But I’m not going anywhere. As long as I have my health and the kids want to play, I’ll coach.”
Berwick has a 33-6 record since Curry’s return three seasons ago.
“We have the weight room filled with kids. If we only had 20 or 24 kids, that would be one thing. But the kids want to play for me. I have an appointment with my cardiologist Jan. 14 and if that’s good, I’m ready to go,” Curry said.
“Frank has done a great job as athletic director. I’m glad we have him back. But I don’t know why everyone just assumes (Sheptock) would step right in anyway. I have some darn good coaches on my staff now who might be interested.”
What now?
The Mount Carmel Area board’s vote to hire Sheptock was 9-0. He was hired at a salary of $54,000 as athletic director — about the same he’s earning at Berwick, according to the Bloomsburg Press-Enterprise — plus $8,000 as football coach and up to $4,000 a year as weight room coordinator, a total of $66,000.
He was brought in to replace Carmen DeFrancesco after the board opened up the head football coaching position. DeFrancesco, also a Mount Carmel native, had a five-year record of 42-20 that included one District 4 Class AA title and no losing seasons.
Sheptock’s hiring had resulted in a shuffling of some administrative duties. Former athletic director Greg Sacavage was named elementary dean of students and director of extracurricular activities, both new positions, as was Sheptock’s secondary dean role.
The dean positions were likened to those of assistant principals, with an emphasis on improving discipline, school officials said previously.
Members of the Mount Carmel school board’s athletics committee are expected to meet in the coming days to discuss the football opening. The entire school board is scheduled for a regular monthly meeting Thursday.
Sacavage had been assisting with athletics during the transition, and Stellar expects he will continue to do so. He also will continue as elementary dean, Stellar said. Assistant coaches will continue overseeing workouts for the student-athletes, he said.
Robert Muldowney, Mount Carmel school board president, did not return a message seeking comment. DeFrancesco and Sacavage also did not return messages.