Parents, boosters tell Plum Borough School District board: hire lacrosse coach or risk losing season

At the Sept. 23 Plum Borough School District board action meeting, three parents and booster leaders told the board the high school boys’ lacrosse program urgently needs a paid coach or the upcoming season could be lost.

Janet Jenkins, a Plum resident and vice president of the lacrosse booster board, told the board the team currently has “no coach,” that off-season practices and tournaments are underway and that the program is running out of time to hire someone before the March season start. “We need a coach before it’s too late,” Jenkins said.

Rob Amon, a Plum resident and parent, said interim assistance from volunteer fathers could not replace a committed head coach. Amon said the booster group had already declined a tournament opportunity and that seniors were emotionally affected; he told the board “2 of our 3 seniors were there” at a recent practice and described the scene as “heartbreaking.”

Kristen Major, a Plum resident and parent, said the absence of a high school coach harms players’ recruiting prospects and could damage the town’s youth lacrosse pipeline. “If this high school program were to go away because they don’t have a coach, that youth program is going to suffer,” Major said.

Board members and district administrators did not make a public vote or formal commitment at the meeting. Doctor Anderson told speakers that Doctor Walsh and Doctor Thomas were willing to speak with parents after the meeting; Walsh later confirmed administrators would meet with the parents to discuss next steps.

Board and administration remarks at the meeting emphasized the district’s intent to help but did not state a specific timeline or hiring action. Parents urged faster action and said hiring windows in neighboring districts already have closed for some candidates, limiting options.

The public comments made clear the boosters are providing volunteer support in the short term but believe a paid, adult head coach is necessary for practice structure, season planning and college recruiting. Parents asked the board and administration to prioritize filling the vacancy to preserve the season and the program’s continuity for younger players in the community.

No formal motion or vote on hiring was recorded on Sept. 23. District administrators offered to meet with the booster leaders immediately after the meeting to explore solutions and next steps.

Looking ahead, parents asked the board to report back publicly if a hire is made or if the district decides to postpone the season; no date was set for such an update at the meeting.