John Augustavo this year led the Vikings to second place in the Class 4A state tournament, and won more than 200 games during his 13 seasons there.
John Augustavo will not have his annual contract renewed as head girls basketball coach at Inglemoor High School, where he led this year’s team to a historic second-place finish at the Class 4A state tournament.
Augustavo, who won more than 200 games during his 13 seasons at Inglemoor and was named 4A coach of the year by the state coaches’ association, said he was informed of the decision Monday by athletic director Lance Gatter and principal Vicki Sherwood. He said he was surprised, even though he had been cited for at least one WIAA violation regarding the number of players he allowed to suit up at the regional and state tournaments.
“I didn’t see it happening,” he said.
Gatter said he could not comment and directed questions to Leanna Albrecht, communications director for the Northshore School District, who provided a brief statement by phone.
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“Inglemoor will not be continuing his contract next year,” she said. “We do appreciate his service to the district as a basketball coach at Inglemoor and it is a personnel issue and we do not discuss personnel matters.”
When asked if the decision was based solely on the WIAA violations, Albrecht said, “I would say it’s an overall personnel issue. It’s more than that, but we don’t discuss individual personnel matters.”
Augustavo said he was unaware that the WIAA limits regional and state teams to 12 players in uniform and that the tournament packet he received from Gatter did not include that sheet of information.
The extra reserves went into the regional game with Monroe in the final 14 seconds and the violation was reported to the WIAA by the game manager. Because the 13th player was technically ineligible, Inglemoor could have been forced to forfeit the 42-30 victory. But on appeal, the WIAA Executive Board agreed the team should not be penalized because Inglemoor would have won without the ineligible participant.
A second violation occurred in the championship game against Gonzaga Prep, which Inglemoor lost in double-overtime. The 13th player was on the bench in sweats, which is allowed (teams can have up to 18 coaches, players and managers on the bench, but only 12 players can be in actual uniform). At some point, the player took off her sweat jacket (although she was not going into the game), Augustavo said. WIAA staff members noticed she was wearing a uniform and reported the violation.
Mike Colbrese, WIAA executive director, said the Executive Board determined the penalty for Inglemoor’s first violation at its recent meeting – a $500 fine and a two-game suspension for Augustavo that would have been enforced to start the 2015-16 season. That suspension was “coach specific” and will not be applied to the next Inglemoor coach, according to Colbrese.
Inglemoor’s penalty for the second violation will be determined at the next Executive Board meeting in June, Colbrese said.
Augustavo, who said he was looking forward to another successful season with quality players returning, plans to seek another coaching position, saying, “I’m not done coaching.”
Augustavo, named the KingCo 4A coach of the year and the Star Times all-area coach of the year, said he is bitter and angry.
“It’s a crappy way to go out,” he said.