Plum parents, boosters warn lacrosse season at risk without head coach

At the Sept. 23 Plum Borough School District board action meeting, parents and booster-club leaders urged the board and district administrators to find a head coach for the high school boys lacrosse team, saying the program may not survive the coming season without one.

The concern came during the citizen-comment portion of the meeting, where Janet Jenkins, a Plum resident and vice president of the lacrosse booster board, said the team currently has no coach and that off-season practices and tournaments are being missed as a result. “We need a coach before it’s too late,” Jenkins said. “It’s not just a position that we’re trying to fill. This is the future of the program.”

Why it matters: Parents and volunteers said the team’s lack of a coach affects senior players’ recruiting opportunities and the district’s youth lacrosse pipeline. Without a high-school coach to lead practices, organize competition and provide references for college recruiters, parents said athletes could lose scholarship and placement opportunities.

Booster leaders and parents described temporary measures and immediate impacts. Rob Amon, a Plum resident who has been helping at practices, said fathers have been filling in but that the situation is unsustainable. “We’re no closer to a resolution,” Amon said. He said players remained committed at a recent practice, but the booster group already canceled participation in one potential tournament and fears further losses if a coach is not hired.

Kristen Major, a Plum resident and parent of a junior on the team, said the lack of a coach hurts recruiting and the community youth program. “This isn’t just affecting the high school at this point. This is affecting the youth that are playing lacrosse in our community also,” Major said. She added that the team’s club coaches have been helping players through recruiting, but a high school head coach is still needed to provide official school support and contact for colleges.

Board response and next steps: Dr. Anderson, who chaired the meeting, offered to have district administrators speak with the parents immediately after the meeting. The transcript shows Dr. Walsh and Dr. Thomas agreed to speak with the parents for a few minutes after the vote session concluded. No formal board action was taken during the meeting to hire or authorize a search; the comments were entered during public comment and do not represent a board directive recorded in the minutes.

Context and timeline: Speakers said the season officially begins in March and that some off-season practices and tournaments already occur. They said many coaching positions in neighboring districts have already been filled, increasing urgency. Parents also said seniors are worried about losing a final season and that a strong high school program supports the district’s youth lacrosse pipeline.

Ending: Board members agreed to meet privately with the parents after the meeting. The transcript does not show a formal staffing action, timeline for hiring, or any vote on the subject during the Sept. 23 session.