Genoa basketball and softball coach Tom Kontak says he “assumes” the

Tom Kontak

school board of education’s decision to non-renew of his basketball contract was of a “personal nature.”

Kontak reacted to the non-renewal by resigning from his softball coaching position a week ago.

“From a coaching standpoint, my heart is broke,” Kontak wrote in his resignation letter. “The young ladies I have asked to follow me as their leader expect answers. At this time, I do not have any answers to give them. This, to me, is unacceptable.”

Kontak was non-renewed for basketball at the May 25 board meeting and he said he was told the next day while in his classroom. He resigned his softball position a week ago Friday.

Kontak’s basketball teams over six seasons since 2004-05 are a combined 91-44. In 2008-09, he was named the District 7 Division III Coach of the Year.

He has coached 24 All-SLL player selections, 16 all-district players, four all-state players, one junior college player, and two NCAA Division I college players.

One of his NCAA D-I basketball players, Bowling Green State University upcoming sophomore Simone Eli, had just moved into her BG residence for the upcoming school year the Friday Kontak announced his resignation from his softball position.

Eli played only basketball for Kontak, not softball. Her father, Art Eli, a former junior varsity basketball coach at Central Catholic was Kontak’s assistant while Simone was a player at Genoa.

Simone, who has known Kontak for the past five-and-a-half years, said she was stunned when she heard the news.

“It didn’t surprise me when he resigned (from softball). What surprised me was the non-renewal of his basketball contract,” Simone, an all-state player at Genoa, said.

“It’s something that I couldn’t even have fathomed. I did not understand it. I don’t think anybody really understands it. I don’t think that it is fair. There was just no justice in anything that was decided whatsoever. In my opinion, I don’t think it was someone else’s decision to decide what is too much for him to do,” Simone continued.

“In the past five-and-a-half years I have never been more inspired and positively pushed by a man to do as best I can not only on the court, but off the court. He has absolutely helped make me the person that I am today.”

Kontak’s round ball teams have finished first or second in the Suburban Lakes League five of the past six years. Under Kontak, Genoa won two back-to-back championships in2006-07 and 2007-08 and three times were league runner-ups (2005-06, 2008-09, 2009-10). The last two seasons, the Comets finished second behind an undefeated and state-ranked Lake team.

In the past five seasons, Genoa girls’ basketball leads the SLL in total league wins with 61, followed by Eastwood (51), Elmwood (49), Lake (43), Otsego (40), Woodmore (36), and Gibsonburg (30).

“It’s going to be hard and support some of the Comet teams when I don’t see him on the sidelines or right off the field coaching and giving instructions,” Eli said.

In softball, Kontak’s teams posted a 167-52 overall record over eight seasons dating back to 2003. His teams won two back-to-back SLL titles (2006, ’07) and five times were SLL runner-up (’03, ’04, ’05, ’08, ’09).

Kontak’s teams won seven sectional championships (’03, ’04, ’05, ’06, ’07. ’09, ’10), one district title (’06), four district runner-up finishes (’03, ’04, ’05, ’10), one regional championship (’06), one D-III state final four appearance (’06) and in 2006 the Comets were ranked No. 4 in the final state coaches poll.

He coached 52 All-SLL softball players, 27 all-district players, seven all-state selections, five junior college players, four NCAA D-II players and one NCAA D-I player.

Superintendent Dennis Mock wrote in a statement that it is “normal practice” to approve fall and winter supplemental contracts for the following school year. The statement said the board had one major concern — Kontak’s ability to coach two sports.

“The superintendent and board members held discussion as to whether it was preferable that the current head coach (Kontak) of the girls’ basketball and softball programs continue to perform two ‘head’ coaching responsibilities,” Mock wrote

“The superintendent and board members determined that Mr. Kontak’s coaching talent best served the girls softball program. Spring coaching contracts, however, are recommended and approved at a regular Board meeting scheduled for a later date,” Mock’s statement continued.

Kontak said the reason he resigned softball is “based on the inconsistencies and lack of communication shown in the non-renewal of my varsity girls’ basketball contract.”

Kontak cited these issues in his resignation letter —
• “No communication prior to the decision being made about basketball contract. I was never made aware or consulted in any way that a change was possible.”

• “Proper procedures in the GAEA Contract were not followed they are — No evaluation given for basketball or softball (Last Basketball Evaluation 2007-08 Season, three seasons ago) (Last Softball Evaluation 2008 Season, three seasons ago); Proper time line of non-renewal evaluation of the ‘Board’s intent not to rehire.’”

• “Reason given for non-renewal of varsity girls basketball was it was not ‘preferable’ for me to continue as girls’ basketball coach and softball coach together. I was given no choice or consultation in the matter, therefore no assurances that the same procedure will not be followed in softball.”

Kontak continued, “The Superintendent and most of the Board of Education members have had, or currently have, a daughter in at least one or both programs. This leads me to believe this was not a decision based purely on if I could ‘continue to perform two ‘head’ coaching responsibilities.' Without evaluation or consultation, I believe and assume the reasons were of a personal nature by the Superintendent and Board of Education and that the same decision could be made about me as a softball coach. Without the proper support and assurances from the leaders of this school district, I could not perform my duties as a coach and a leader of young ladies to the best of my ability.”

Kontak is also a six grade mathematics teacher. In an e-mail Kontak sent to The Press, it stated that the last four years, his sixth grade classes met the goal of 75 percent of the students passing the Math Ohio Achievement Assessment, including the first time the sixth grade math OAA ever passed. He was selected on three different occasions by a Top 10 high school senior as their “honored educator.”

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