UPDATED: Hoover board meeting to decide coach’s future set for Oct. 11

Published 5:38 pm Monday, October 4, 2010

UPDATED Monday, Oct. 4 at 5:38 p.m.

By WESLEY HALLMAN / Sports Editor

HOOVER — The Hoover City Board of Education will decide the coaching future of suspended Spain Park High School head football coach David Shores at the Oct. 11 regularly scheduled board meeting, set for 5:30 p.m., said Shores’ attorney Matt Goforth.

A special-called meeting to discuss Shores’ future was originally set for Sept. 16. That meeting was rescheduled to give Shores’ attorneys more time to prepare for the meeting, said Hoover City Board of Education President A.W. Bolt.

The board has also set a separate special-called meeting for Oct. 5 at 5:30 p.m. to discuss personnel actions. When reached by phone, Bolt said initially he thought the Oct. 5 special-called meeting was a “hearing” to decide Shores’ future.

In a second phone interview, Bolt said he didn’t know what would be discussed at the Oct. 5 meeting.

Attorney Donald Sweeney, Jr., who represents the Hoover City Board of Education, said seven personnel actions are on the agenda for the Oct. 5 meeting. Sweeney would not disclose the nature of the seven personnel actions. Matt Goforth, an attorney for Shores, said neither he nor Shores plan to attend the Oct. 5 meeting.

Bolt said Superintendent Andy Craig recommended Shores’ coaching contract be terminated when the initial Sept. 16 special-called meeting was set. Bolt said Spain Park principal Chris Shaw agreed with Craig’s recommendation.

Shores’ three-year coaching contract is set to expire following the 2010 season.

Shores was placed on paid administrative leave following an alleged physical altercation with a player at a team practice Aug. 24. An investigation into the incident by the Hoover City School Board has been ongoing since the incident occurred.