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Schools

Pat-Med Football Coach Reinstated

Emergency Board of Education meeting puts James Chiarello back in his position as head coach.

Applause and sighs of relief came from parents and students as the Patchogue Medford Board of Education reinstated James Chiarello as the ’s head football coach at Tuesday's emergency meeting at .

The meeting was called strictly to discuss Chiarello’s possible re-hiring. The board entered executive session only seconds after it began and, after about 35 minutes, announced their decision with a vote of four in favor and three abstentions.

“The kids worked extremely hard the entire summer, and putting the coach back was the right thing to do,” parent Carlos Torres Sr. said. “The kids stayed together and kept practicing, and when you believe in something that strong, something will happen.”    

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More than 40 football players filled the auditorium’s front rows and concerned parents attended to hear the board’s decision about Chiarello. Parents had thought the coach was let go without an explanation earlier this month. However, Tom Combs, the head of the district's athletic department, confirmed last week to Patch that Chiarello was never fired.

Bob Fisher, whose son is going into his fourth year on the team, was among the group of parents awaiting the results of executive session. Like most of them, Fisher’s concern lied within the confusion of why Chiarello was possibly removed in the first place, with the season’s start in two weeks.  

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“It was very bad timing on the board’s part, and it didn’t have anything to show for the kids,” Fisher said.

Combs announced his support for Chiarello.

“The parents have been extremely supportive of Chiarello,” Combs said. “The team has been working since November for the coming season, and the timing just wasn’t right.” 

According to Fisher, players approached the board last Friday with questions, but were left with no answers.

“[The board] didn’t have a backup plan and the kids were left in limbo, they didn’t know what to do,” Fisher said.  “Realistically they need a head coach, and now is a bad time not to have one regardless of personal opinion.”

With two sons on the team, Mrs. Smith agrees with Fisher and said the word was spread with confusion that started with the players.

“I dropped them off at practice and they were home a half hour later,” Smith said. “There should’ve been a meeting called a long time ago if this was what they were going to do.”

Parents and players shared their excitement after the board’s announcement, including senior middle line backer Carlos Torres Jr.

“We’re excited that he’s our coach again,” Torres said of Chiarello.  “We’d been practicing without a coach and now we’re happy to have him back for tomorrow.”

Chiarello is entering his 11th season as head coach at Pat-Med. The Raiders finished the last two seasons with a 2-6 record in Suffolk County's Division I. They have not made an appearance in the Suffolk County Division I championship since 2002 when they beat Sachem and advanced to the Long Island title game to beat Farmingdale. 

Pat-Med opens the 2011 season Saturday, Sept. 10 at 2 p.m. on the road against West Islip.

Chris Vaccaro contributed to this story.

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