Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, February 5, 1993 TAG: 9302050051
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
VAUGHT WILL NOT COACH IN VHSCA ALL-STAR GAME
Apparently, the Virginia High School Coaches Association decided to do what the Virginia High School League chose not to do after Richlands' Dennis Vaught admitted his team used illegal cleats in a playoff football game against Salem.It was Vaught, though, who made the decisive move. This week, he declined any opportunity to coach in the association's high school all-star game July 15 at Hampton even before a VHSCA representative could tell him he would not be invited.
Ironically, Vaught, voted the VHSCA's Group AA coach of the year after Richlands won the state championship, will be replaced by Salem's Willis White, who lodged the protest accusing Vaught's Richlands team of wearing illegal cleats when the Tornadoes defeated the Spartans 17-7 in the Group AA Division 4 semifinals.
The Virginia High School League's Executive Committee disallowed Salem's protest that sought to void the results of that game, and it refused to take action against Vaught, saying it did not have the power to make either move.
The VHSCA, though, was ready to use its power had Vaught decided to be an assistant coach for the West. All-star game coaches are chosen from teams that advance the furthest in the playoffs. Richlands' state championship qualified Vaught as the Group AA Division 4 representative from the West.
When contacted by VHSCA games director Mike Smith of Hampton High School, Vaught declined any opportunity to be an assistant to Appalachia's Tom Turner. Smith said the Richlands coach would not have been allowed to be an assistant had he wanted to do so.
"I called him in reference to the high school all-star game and he said he didn't feel like he should coach," Smith said. "We've got rules, though, that disallow him to coach. It comes under ethics. My intention was to not give him an invitation to coach, but it never got to that point."
Vaught did not return a telephone call to explain why he declined the invitation.
Smith said there is nothing specific about who can and cannot coach in the all-star game. He said he had been called by some coaches on both the East and West squads who said they did not think it was a favorable thing for "Vaught to represent the coaches after what had happened."
Smith added: "I had discussed it [the decision] with the president of the VHSCA [Hampton athletic director Patricia Mitchell]. It was my decision as far as the coordinator of the games. I could have been overruled by the executive committee, but I'm sure I wouldn't have."
While Smith couldn't cite a precedent for such an action, he said: "The games should represent the finest we've got to offer, not only as athletes, but people who are coaching. Dennis Vaught coached in the game once before [1989] and did a fine job. Since that time, he used bad judgment. He didn't want to coach, but I felt obligated to discuss it with him.
"I think unless a kid is deriving social value from sport, you don't need sport. If you can do things that are illegal and still participate, we'd be defeating what we [the coaches' association] stand for."
White never has coached in the all-star game. He turned down an invitation last summer to be an assistant coach.
"I've always used that week as a vacation week," White said. "I would go to the clinic and visit with people. I talked to some of our staff last summer and told them the next chance I get, I'll probably coach in it.
"I'm not getting any younger. I've turned them down four times. But I had made up my mind to coach, and it doesn't have anything to do with the fact that I'm replacing Vaught."
Two other Timesland coaches - Pulaski County's Joel Hicks and Jefferson Forest's Bob Christmas - will be West assistants.