MINERSVILLE — Football players, students, parents and borough residents attended Minersville Area school board’s agenda meeting Thursday to tell the board that Pat Mason is more than just a coach to them.
Mason, 43, of Cass Township, submitted his resignation earlier this month after he was informed the school board will be opening the position.
A 1989 Minersville Area High School, Mason played for the team and came back to coach in 1997. He has served as head coach for the last 13 seasons.
The school board has yet to accept Mason’s resignation or decide upon opening the position. The next meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Albert Wank, board president, said the board did not ask for his resignation. He said all coaching contracts are renewed annually after a review by an athletic committee. He did not want to comment on the board’s upcoming decisions, but did address the number of people attending the meeting. The meeting was held in the school’s auditorium to accommodate the large crowd.
“I think it shows people are very respectful and we have a good community,” Wank said.
Mason’s tenure as head coach includes the school’s only District 11 Class A title in 2003 and a District 11 Class A runner-up finish in 2007. Mason is the third-longest tenured coach in the Anthracite Football League behind Marian’s Stan
Dakosty and Jim Thorpe’s Mark Rosenberger.
Over the last 13 seasons, the football team has a 60-79 record. However, the team most recently has had four straight losing seasons and a 9-31 record. The Battlin’ Miners went 1-9 in the 2015 season.
“We had a rough season, but overall he helped us achieve goals none of us thought we could,” Alan Renninger, a captain and senior on the football team, said.
Renninger said Mason was a mentor and teacher and helped many students achieve their dreams of playing football in college. He said the small school has not had success recently in a tough schedule, but Mason has always been a leader, a mentor and teacher to the players and students.
“He is a great coach, a great teacher, but an even better man,” Renninger said. “No matter what happens, nothing will change the fact that he helped shape me into the man I am today.”
A parent of one of the players said Mason was able to get her son to reach his full potential in school when no one else could. Other current and former players said Mason helped them achieve their dreams of playing college football while also preparing them for careers.
“He is definitely more than just a coach to us,” Bryce Miklesavage, a junior player on the team, said. “If there is anyone that deserves the opportunity to return Minersville football to where it should be, it is him.”
Several other people spoke in support of Mason while about 100 attended the meeting. Many of them concluded with the phrase, “Keep Coach Mason.”
“Please reconsider the decision,” Jamie Kuehn, borough council vice president, said. “We have the right guy. Please do the right thing. Keep Coach Mason.”
Mason is also a teacher at the high school. He teaches U.S. history, psychology, sociology and current events to students in grades 10-12. Another student presented the board with a petition signed by more than 100 players and students to keep Mason as head coach.
Following the public comment portion of the meeting, the board went into an executive session to discuss personnel matters. There were no motions after the executive session.
Mason said after the meeting that he did not want to comment on the situation, but he appreciated the support.
“Over the last week or so, the outpouring of support has been very humbling,” Mason said. “I appreciate that everyone took the time out of their day to be here.”