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Home Page   Local News   Local Sports   Community Calendar   Opinion   Editorials   Columns   Letters to the Editor   Archives   News Archives   Sports Archives	10-25-2007 Miosek resigns as girls hoop coach By ERIC AHLQVIST Editor Longtime Cooperstown girls basketball varsity head coach Frank Miosek has resigned his position as a protest to a recent change in the pay scale for coaches at the school. "I felt I had to make a personal stand," Miosek said. At issue is a negotiated deal made between the CCS school board and teachers' union which no longer provides coaches with additional pay for postseason appearances. "In the past, we received five percent of our salaries for every week we continued to play, up to four weeks, after the regular season concluded," Miosek said. "They chose to leave that out this year. It worked out to about $150 to $180 for most coaches, so it's not really about the money. It's about feeling appreciated." Miosek, who also coaches the Cooperstown boys soccer and baseball teams at Cooperstown, was vocal about his opposition to the change during the fall soccer season as well. He considered keeping the team, which is the top seed in the Section Three Class C tournament, from sectionals, and did not run the scoreboard clock during home games as a protest. Cooperstown Middle School principal and athletic director Mike Cring said the change was simply part of the bargaining process between the board and union. He said the varsity girls basketball position has been posted, and he expects to have a coach in place before the season begins in late November. "As athletic director, and on behalf of the district, Mr. Miosek's decision to not coach on such short notice is disappointing not only for the district but most importantly the girls on the team," Cring said. "Whoever gets the job will be inheriting a program that returns many players and will be adding players from a junior varsity program that went 50-10 over the last three years." Miosek, who retired from teaching at Cooperstown last June, has coached the CCS girls basketball team for 15 seasons. He leaves behind a team which returns all five of its starters from last year's 13-8 team which lost to Little Falls in the Section Three Class C semifinals. He said his resignation pertains to girls basketball only. "This has nothing to do with the girls, and I wrote all four captains a letter explaining my position," Miosek said. "I'm going to spend more time with my family where I feel more appreciated."
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