Nines Status as CM Football Coach Undetermined

BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP—Keystone Central School District officialdom won’t comment on the status of Central Mountain head football coach Mike Nines but players and supporters don’t want him to lose his job.

Several dozen Wildcat players, family members and coach Nines supporters attended tonight’s school board meeting to voice support for Nines who recently completed his second year as Wildcat head coach.

Speakers included Tyler Zablocki, a Central Mountain senior and a captain on this year’s team. He told the school board he was struggling in his family situation and feared he would have to leave school and get a job to provide rent money. But he said his coach came to his aid, got him situated in a better atmosphere and now he is looking at choosing from multiple schools on the collegiate level. Other players, wearing their game jerseys, supported Nines as head coach. One, Patrick Barner, said he should not “be fired.” Other squad members who spoke were Trevor Smith and Justin Neff.

The board did not comment on Nines’s status at the meeting so officially nothing has been said. But therecord-online has learned that Nines two weeks ago informed team members he had resigned (unofficial reports indicating he was told by the district to resign or lose his job). Nines confirmed to The Record tonight he subsequently withdrew his resignation. He was in attendance at the board meeting, sitting in the back of the school library, and did not offer comment. Afterwards he exchanged well wishes with players as they exited the meeting.

And while the board did not offer public comment, it did hold a 50 minute executive session on a “personnel matter,” which The Record learned was about Nines’ status.

With Nines withdrawing his resignation, which had been scheduled for board action tonight, the next move will be up to the district. Available options are continuing Nines as head coach or declaring the position open, Nines with the opportunity to reapply.

Central Mountain went 2-8 this past season after a 1-9 mark in Nines’ first year. The number of players in the program increased significantly over the last two years.