By Lori Ehde
More than 50 people attended the Thursday, March 27, Luverne School Board meeting in support of Mary Jo Graphenteen.
On the agenda that night was the head volleyball coaching position, which Graphenteen has held for 19 years.
Speaking on behalf of players, parents and other coaches, Dr. Diane Kennedy addressed the board about Graphenteen’s contract.
She said Graphenteen’s cumulative record was 340 wins and 120 losses and that the Luverne program has produced college athletes and college and high school coaches.
"You do not pursue volleyball after graduation unless someone has taught you a love for the sport," Kennedy said.
She said she’s spoken with numerous families and individuals who hoped Graphenteen’s coaching contract would be renewed.
"Coach Graphenteen has the respect and support of the vast majority of parents that have had athletes in her program," Kennedy said.
"I know there is a very loud minority that does not support her, and it is unfortunate that that is what you’ve heard and listened to."
She gave an example of a family with three daughters of varying athletic ability — including a Special Olympian — all of whom spoke highly of Graphenteen.
She also gave the example of Lori DeJongh-Slight, who was cut from Graphenteen’s team in Luverne, but went on to coach a Division I volleyball team.
"She understands why, does not begrudge that and actually credits Mary Jo in developing her passion for volleyball," Kennedy said.
At the meeting, Kennedy read a few of what she said were many letters of support for Graphenteen by her peers.
"When you have coached as many years as I have, you soon gain a sense of the character possessed by a coach because of how he or she instills that same character into the players," wrote Wayne Westenberg, volleyball coach at Unity Christian in Orange City, Iowa .
"The players from Luverne have consistently shown some of the highest character and sense of competitive sportsmanship I’ve seen."
Westenberg was aware of the Luverne School Board’s upcoming vote on Graphenteen.
"Unfortunately, through many years of coaching, I have also seen some outstanding coaches dismissed because of a small vocal minority who felt their All-American daughter should have more playing time. I certainly hope that would not happen in Luverne," Westenberg wrote.
"I would ask that you carefully weigh your decision and consider the motives of those behind removing a coach with this high character."
The board thanked Kennedy and those in attendance and moved on to subsequent agenda items.
When they reached the agenda item calling for action on Graphenteen’s coaching contract, board members heard briefly from Superintendent Vince Schaefer.
He said he’d met with Activities Director Harvey Crable, and they both recommended not renewing the contract.
Schaefer clarified that a coaching contract is renewable annually, and by law, the board is entitled to not renew a contract without being obligated to provide an explanation.
"No due process is required, because it does not require a termination," Schaefer said.
The motion was made by Becky Walgrave to not renew the contract, and Cary Radisewitz seconded the motion.
"As far as a board, one of the things this board does not do is hire and fire coaches," Radisewitz said.
"If we come with a recommendation from our administrators, we need to back our administrators."
He added that he’d also talked to numerous people on both sides of the issue to arrive at his vote.
The motion passed unanimously on a roll-call vote, prompting angry response from Graphenteen supporters at the meeting.
Luverne High School graduate Emily (Bowron) Crabtree left the room.
"You talk about supporting administrative staff, but there’s something to be said about backing your coaches," Crabtree said on her way out.
"I have a coaching license and people have asked me, ‘Why don’t you apply for a coaching position in this community?’ After hearing this, why would I?"
The board continued its meeting while some volleyball players could be heard crying in the hallway.
After the meeting, when asked to comment further on their decision, board members said they were told it was a personnel matter they were advised not to comment on.
They did, however, say they felt comfortable the right decision had been made.
Jim Knutson, legal counsel for the district clarified that reasons for not renewing the contract were not for a specific disciplinary matter.
"It was a decision on their part simply to not renew the coaching contract," Knutson, Minneapolis, said in a phone interview Tuesday.
Graphenteen declined to comment for this story.
The district has no prospective replacements for Graphenteen, but will begin advertising the position soon.
