The South Portland School Board decided not to appoint Timothy Farrar as the new boys basketball coach in its meeting on Monday evening.
Farrar, who has been an assistant coach at the University of Maine at Fort Kent, would have replaced longtime South Portland coach Tony DiBiase whose basketball coaching contract was not renewed.
School board member James Gilboy was one of three members voting against the Farrar recommendation. “I think he was a victim of circumstances,” Gilboy said about Farrar while explaining his vote. “I would prefer a teacher that’s in the system (to coach any South Portland sports teams). I would rather have that teacher in South Portland. Realistically, I know you’re not always going to have that opportunity.
“Where it’s a personnel issue, there’s only so much we can talk about publicly,” Gilboy continued. “It’s an unfortunate process. I don’t have any political motive for voting the way that I’ve done. I want the best for that basketball program.”
Farrar and DiBiase did not return calls seeking comment for this story.
The South Portland High boys varsity basketball head coaching job now remains vacant just a little more than two months from the team’s first practice.
Suzanne Godin, the South Portland Superintendent of Schools, is expected to make another recommendation regarding the boys basketball position at the school committee’s next meeting.
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