Armagost

CHERRY TWP — Randy Armagost is hoping his eighth season as Moniteau boys basketball coach isn't his last.

The Moniteau school board voted 6-3 Monday night in favor of opening the position.

"I found out in the beginning of March that the board was going to open the position," said Armagost, who plan to reapply for the job. "It was a group of parents who didn't like the way I was running things with the team.

"They didn't like the way I treated the kids or my actions during games," he added. "But I've built a good program here."

Armagost, 42, lives in Boyers and has compiled a 112-87 record since becoming Moniteau's boys basketball coach before the 2000-01 season.

At the beginning of Monday's meeting, Armagost's wife, Stacey, presented the board members with a copy of a petition that was signed by more than 700 people in favor of Randy Armagost keeping his basketball coaching position.

"There are signatures from players, local business owners, former school board members," said Stacey Armagost, a former Moniteau school board member. "In March, 38 people showed up at a meeting in support of Randy."

"Every board member here cares what the people have to say," said Moniteau school board member Doug Kimmey. "But this is a personnel matter and we can't comment on it."

Also during the meeting, the board voted 5-4 to terminate Armagost as assistant football coach and assistant track and field coach, effective immediately.

However, board president Doug Kimmy first incorrectly announced the vote was to retain Armagost as assistant football coach, he said. The record was corrected at the end of an executive decision, he said.

Following the items on the board's agenda, about 20 people stood up and supported Armagost.

"We brought in a referendum, as far as I'm concerned," said Jim Stockham, referring to the petition. "And the people who signed it know Coach Armagost better than (the school board members). The people have spoken."

Nick Dolak, 23, played basketball for Armagost and was later an assistant coach under him.

"I've played for several coaches and I've never had a coach like Randy," Dolak said. "It's not just about wins and losses with him. He brings together kids who would otherwise never be friends."

The people who brought their concerns about Armagost's coaching style to the board's attention either did not come to the meeting or did not speak.

Pat Kerlin, a former girls basketball coach at A-C Valley, is now the junior varsity coach for Moniteau's boys team.

"I live in St. Petersburg, and, as an outsider, it seems to me that around here, the minority rules.

"If you open the boys basketball position, it's going to open a can of worms," Kerlin said to the board members. "From now on, every time a parent has a problem with a coach, your phones will be ringing off the hook. Believe me. I went through it at A-C Valley."

Armagost will have to wait to see if a ninth season as Moniteau's boys basketball coach is in his future.

"For the last six weeks, people have been coming up to me and saying good luck," said Armagost. "We've been trying to go about it the right way with the petition. I hope the board listened."