Leading off today: Buffalo City Honors girls volleyball and softball coach Deborah Matos is under fire again, with her fate up in the air after a
special session of the school board on Tuesday.
No action was taken or decision rendered in the face of bullying allegations from a parent filed under the Dignity of All Students Act, The Buffalo News reported. It is the second time in less than two years that Matos finds herself fighting to keep her coaching job.
The paper reported the complaint was filed by Meg Gifford, one of two parents who unsuccessfully tried to get Matos removed from her coaching posts in September 2013 for what some parents contended was harsh and abusive behavior toward players.
According to district spokeswoman Elena Cala, it's unknown whether Matos will be allowed to coach City Honors' first practice of the season Aug. 17. There is a possibility another special session could be called to settle the matter before the board's regularly scheduled meeting on Aug. 26.
Numerous supporters of Matos showed up at Tuesday's meeting, and three were given the opportunity to speak in support of the coach. Among them was State Sen. Mark Panepinto, whose daughter Julia played volleyball and softball for Matos, who coached the volleyball team to a NYSPHSAA championship in 2009.
"Teachers and coaches like Deb Matos are what make our job easier as parents," Panepinto said.
On Sept. 23, 2013, Matos was placed on administrative leave from coaching and her teaching position while the district investigated complaints filed by player parents Jim Gribbins and Gifford. Matos was reinstated two weeks later after supporters rallied in her defense. Parents for 14 of the 16 children who played volleyball for Matos in 2013 signed a letter in support of her, according to a Buffalo News story that year.
Way better than a sand save: Dave Solomon, who recently retired after 34 years of teaching phys ed and coaching at Lehman High School, used an AED to keep a 77-year-old heart attack victim from dying on a golf course last week.
Bob Beggs was stricken at Putnam County Golf Course on July 14. As other personnel contacted 911, Solomon, the assistant golf operations manager, took off on foot to the 16th hole with the AED.
"We are trained over and over to deal with this kind of thing," said Solomon, who coached tennis and volleyball for the PSAL school.
Solomon used the AED twice on Beggs as three other men assisted with CPR. Emergency personnel were on scene within seven minutes, and a medic stabilized Beggs for the ride to Putnam Hospital Center.
"I was fine in the middle of everything, setting up the AED and working on Bob," Solomon told The Journal News. "You cannot make a mistake with that machine, it will not let you even if you hit the wrong button and everything made perfect sense."
Beggs was transferred closer to a hospital closer to his New Jersey home Wednesday and was well enough to speak to a reporter a day after the incident.
"I'm doing pretty good," he said by phone Monday. "I'm still weak and I need to have a stent put in here pretty soon, but otherwise, I'm OK."
Alkins sorting out choices: Life as a free agent is hard work for Rawle Alkins, the Christ the King basketball star now in search of a prep school to attend this fall while
