After further review, Dan Williams remains football coach

By MARY R. SMITH
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
McDONALD -- More than 100 people gave a standing ovation Monday when the McDonald school board rehired varsity football coach Dan Williams for the 2007-08 school year.
The rehiring came on the heels of the board's advertising for applicants for the position for two weeks, though the board never conducted interviews for the job.
Williams said after the vote: "I just want to thank everybody -- the community, the administration, the faculty, the Sideliner program, parents, players and my family and friends."
He added, "I was never really given reasons" why the board advertised for other coach applicants.
Williams has been coach for seven years, with a 41-32 record. He is 52-41 overall in nine seasons.
To voice their support for him, former residents and students drove in from as far as away as Grand Rapids, Mich., to speak on his behalf.
An Ohio State student who had played for Williams also spoke in support of Williams. He added Williams helped him when he had two offers to play college ball.
A current student spoke for his teammates saying he was a senior and said, "Williams is the only coach I would like to play for, the only coach any of my friends would want to play for."
Several residents asked why the board had spent 2,000 to advertise for a new coach and then didn't conduct interviews.
Board member William Roux said, "The the board can't justify it." The board had voted unanimously to advertise for a new coach.
However, board President Lou Ronghi said that many residents had expressed displeasure with Willliams. He did not elaborate.
After the meeting, Williams said he's feeling "a little relief but it's time to move forward. We never stopped preparing for next season. Now we can put this behind us and move on."
Williams said he has "a ton of people I'd like to thank. It was nice to know that type of support was behind me."
Williams said 52 of the 55 members of the McDonald Education Association signed a letter of support.
"I'm happy this is over with because we want to coach football," Williams said.