Swampscott High track coach resigns for 2nd time

SWAMPSCOTT – Swampscott High School’s popular cross country and track coach Domenic Finelli has resigned for the second time in six months, high school Athletic Director Alison Argentieri confirmed Friday.”Mr. Finelli did resign from track and that’s where we are right now.” Argentieri said. “We have appointed a new coach who we think will do a good job and will be good with the kids, and we are hoping for a successful season.”Argentieri also issued a statement that physical education teacher Peter Bush has been appointed as the Head Boy’s Track Coach. Bush is also currently the assistant football coach and assistant indoor track coach.Finelli did not return repeated requests for comment Friday.Finelli first resigned in late November but he told The Daily Item in December that he resigned out of frustration about the principle of athletic fees charged to students.He said his runners were paying a $250 user fee, much of which he believed was being used to fund other sports, while he and his assistants were paid half of what coaches in sports like soccer and lacrosse were being paid.At a Dec. 22, 2010 meeting of the school committee, parents of students involved in the cross-country and track-and-field programs offered their support for Finelli. The coach has led Swampscott teams and students to division titles and was named Coach of the Year by the Massachusetts State Track Coaches Association in 2006. The program had over 130 participants, representing nearly 20 percent of the high school student population, said parent Paul Gorman.”He built this program where there was 100 percent support for the number one runner and the number 100 runner,” Gorman said.The school administration said that they couldn’t rehire Finelli after he resigned in November, but that he could reapply for the position, Gorman said. Finelli was the only applicant and the committee unanimously voted to support his application on March 8, said Kerin Walsh, the President of the Swampscott Track Boosters, who served on the committee.But Walsh and Gorman both said that Finelli told them that he was asked to sign a document when he met with High School Principal Layne Millington. He declined to do so.”Finelli mentioned that “it had implied that he had caused damage to the kids and other teams, and language that he felt was not factual and was disrespectful of him,” said Walsh.Walsh also said the letter never came up during the interview committee’s discussions. “There was no indication that there were going to be any conditions put in place on the offer.”Millington did not respond to calls for comment.Asked about the document, Argentieri declined to comment, saying that she would stick to the statement.Both Walsh and Gorman expressed regret about the situation.”I think he felt there was no indication that he could return in the current climate,” Walsh said.”It’s upsetting to me that the opinions of 200 families (of students Finelli coached) were ignored,” said Walsh. “I don’t know anybody who isn’t disappointed.”In addition to losing Finelli, Gorman said that he’s disappointed in a breakdown in the relationship among school administrators and the parents of student athletes.”It’s been upsetting, Gorman said. “I think the administration is getting defensive and that’s not the point? We’re not hoping to intimidate, target or bully anybody. We want to emphasize what’s best for our children. We want to work with school officials.”School Committee member Glenn Paster said that the matter was outside the committee’s jurisdiction, but committee members “completely stand behind” the decision that was made.Superintendent Lynne Celli referred comment to Millington.