The Pine-Richland School Board has hired a veteran coach it hopes can close the book on a tumultuous chapter in the district’s football program.

Steve Campos, an assistant football coach at Seneca Valley with nearly 30 years of experience, was the only candidate for the head coaching position considered during the school board’s special meeting Wednesday night to replace ousted head coach Eric Kasperowicz.

Kasperowicz’s contract was not renewed after an investigation by district officials into allegations of “hazing, ‘rites of passage’ and intimidation” linked to the football team.

The board voted 8-1 to ratify a one-year, $10,092 contract. School Director Greg DiTullio cast the lone dissenting vote.

Campos did not attend the meeting and could not be reached for comment about his appointment. But in a statement released by the district he said: “As head coach, the two most important things I want our players to achieve are accountability and dependability. Everything else will fall into place.

“Throughout the selection process, Coach Campos was specifically focused on the players and transition,” said athletic director T.J. Salopek. “His commitment, experience and passion for the game, along with his focus on sportsmanship and building positive relationships is a winning combination that will strengthen our football program and support our efforts to help develop well-rounded student athletes.”

The district noted that Campos has designed and implemented comprehensive, year-round programs for football that include off-season conditioning as well as preseason technical development and field work.

He also has a wide range of connections to post-high school recruiters, officials said.

The majority of the nearly 100 people who attended the meeting in the high school auditorium indicated that while they would support the new coach, they still were unhappy with the board’s decision to fire Kasperowicz.

John Cory, who is vice president of the football booster program, said while the organization is “here to support this coach that you hire” he was critical of the process the district used to dismiss Kasperowicz and search for a replacement.

Joe Cassidy said the actions of the board and the administration has fractured the community’s trust.

“It’s clear that the community has no faith in this board or administration,” he said. ‘The board has a responsibility to listen to and communicate with the taxpayers they represent.”

Cassidy said calls placed to board members and school officials to discuss the coaching situation were not returned.

He said it is indicative of a decline in the district.

“There used to be a time where Pine-Richland stood for excellence,” he said. “We strove to be the best. When did we start settling? Why did we start settling?”

DiTullio said his decision to vote against hiring Campos was not personal.

“It’s not because I dislike the individual,” DiTullio said. “But I believe there may have been a better way to support the transition. I think that the expectations can be higher for all of us.”

Campos is a native of New Brighton, Beaver County. He has an extensive collegiate coaching resume but little experience as a head coach at the high school level.

Among his jobs, Campos was head coach at Bethany College from 1992-2002 and went 40-47 in nine seasons. He also coached at Memphis State, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Geneva, University of Texas at El Paso, Marietta, Washington & Jefferson, Robert Morris and California of Pennsylvania.

He had a one-year stint in 2006 as the football coach at Ringgold while also working as athletic director. Most recently, he worked with Seneca Valley’s quarterbacks for several seasons.

Campos is a 1982 graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania and earned a master’s degree in education from Memphis State in 1984. He taught at Marietta and Bethany colleges between 1991 and 1992.

Campos takes over a Pine-Richland team that won WPIAL and PIAA Class 5A (state) titles last season.

But he also is inheriting a program that’s in the midst of turmoil.

Kasperowicz has denied hazing or bullying occurred during his eight seasons as Pine-Richland head coach. On May 14, he announced that he was suing the school district for defamation.

The Rams went 85-18 under Kasperowicz, winning four WPIAL titles and two state championships.

The ouster of Kasperowicz and his coaching staff led to several organized protests by students and community members.

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