JACKSON TWP — Tom Donati's future as varsity swimming coach at Seneca Valley High School was in doubt for 5½ months.

Finally, Donati received an answer — the one he was hoping for.

Donati, who was suspended from coaching both the boys and girls swim teams after a hazing incident was uncovered among the boys squad in February, had his contract approved by the SV school board late last month.

The veteran coach said he has no hard feelings from the ordeal.

"There's no bitterness," he said. "I'm just glad we can put it all behind us.

"With the hazing, the kids made a mistake," added Donati. "But, ultimately, I'm in charge of supervising those kids."

"We recommended to the school board that Tom be brought back," said Seneca Valley athletic director Greg Caprara. "It seems everything has worked out well."

Donati's suspension came two weeks before the WPIAL Swimming Championships. His assistant, Tom Fletcher, took over as head coach.

"The WPIALs are like the Super Bowl," Donati said. "There are other coaches in other high school sports and they all strive to get their teams to the playoffs. And to get there, but not be able to coach the team, it was tough."

Fletcher and Amanda Smith will return as Donati's assistants this season.

"That was one of the stipulations I had," he said. "I wanted them both back. Then when I heard that they had approved my contract, that solidified it for me."

Soon after he found out he was returning for an 11th season as SV's coach, Donati was offered a job as a ninth-grade history teacher and boys swimming coach at Bethel Park High School.

"That's where I went to school," he said. "I swam there and now I live in Mount Lebanon. It would have been a five-minute drive to work each day.

"But I realized that my heart was still with my kids (at SV) and my building," said Donati, who teaches seventh grade history at Seneca Valley Middle School.

"I was very excited to hear Coach Donati was coming back," said Rose Snyder, an incoming senior. "It just wouldn't have been the same without him."

Donati, who did retain his title as coach of the Seneca Valley Swim Club over the last six months, never talked in depth about his situation with the club's members, many of whom swim for the high school team.

"I never addressed the team," he said. "I didn't want them to know what I was going through."

Maybe it's the double duty he performs as both a teacher and coach, but Donati said he believes something can be learned from every experience.

"I'm going to be a better coach and a better person because of this," he said. "We're making decisions to move the program forward and I believe the administration is glad I'm the guy to do it."