Students, parents urge Pascack Valley board to keep longtime assistant as head football coach

Students and parents urged the Pascack Valley Regional High School District Board of Education on May 19 to approve longtime assistant Bill Weigel as head football coach, saying his role as a teacher in the building helps sustain the program’s culture and supports players beyond the field.

The request came during the public comment portion of the board meeting, when several student‑athletes and parents took turns urging the board to select a candidate who is already part of the school community. "He's not just a coach," said Sadria Faratovic, "He's a mentor who has taught me a lot about football and about life." Faratovic identified herself as a junior at Pascack Valley High School.

Why it matters: speakers said hiring from within preserves continuity for a program that has had recent on‑field success and that a coach who teaches in the building can support athletes’ academic and personal needs during the school day. "It's important to keep the Valley tradition from hiring people from outside the school," Faratovic said.

Parent speakers framed the issue as one of stability and investment. Mike Smith Veil, who identified himself as a parent of juniors at Pascack Valley, said he hoped the board would "involve parents and the students or the athletes when it comes to these changes," and thanked coaches for the time they invest in players. Jason Poushey, who said he is an upcoming senior, told the board, "They taught me discipline, confidence, and how to be a leader," referring to the current coaching staff.

Allison Bridal, who said Bill Weigel is her husband and that she teaches English, urged the board to protect program continuity by choosing a coach who is in the building full time. "Having your head coach in the building matters. It builds consistency, trust, accountability, and culture," she said, adding that schools with frequent coaching turnover often struggle on and off the field.

Speakers cited recent team success and the coach’s record: Faratovic said Coach Weigel was "16 and 5 at Pascack Valley and has won a sectional title," and emphasized that the team’s sectional title was the first since 2014. Several speakers said they valued a coach who can check on grades, behavior and equipment during the school day because that strengthens the student‑athlete relationship.

The public comment period preceded the board’s review of multiple personnel and consent agenda items later in the meeting. The board moved into executive session at the end of its public business and announced it would "take no action and will adjourn from executive session," so no immediate public decision on the coaching appointment was announced that evening.

Board watchers said the public testimony emphasized continuity, the value of a coach who is also a teacher, and a desire among some parents and players to be consulted about coaching appointments.