‘Negative review’ prompts Skiles to resign as Bearcats coach
Bentworth head coach Ron Skiles keeps a close watch on the action during the Bearcats' game against Brownsville at Redstone Field in Republic on Aug. 24.
Bentworth football coach Ron Skiles.
The third, and likely final, stint as Bentworth High School鈥檚 football coach did not end as Ron Skiles had expected.
It turns out the letter of resignation he submitted following meetings with school officials prior to Christmas break caught a lot of people by surprise, especially Skiles.
鈥淚t was made very clear in those meetings that no one was looking for Ron not to be the recommendation for the job next year,鈥� Bentworth Superintendent Scott Martin said. 鈥淗is name wasn鈥檛 even mentioned in coaches to be removed. At no point was that on the table. There was going to be no administrative recommendation other than planning for him to be coming back next season.鈥�
That was until Skiles submitted his resignation in the days following the final meeting when he said athletic director Brian Malecki gave him a negative review.
鈥淗e wasn鈥檛 pleased with the way I ran my program and coached the kids,鈥� Skiles said. 鈥淗e questioned my ability to coach the team and set goals.鈥�
Skiles, a member of the Washington-Greene Chapter of the Pennsylvania 缅北禁地 Hall of Fame, was hired as the football coach in 2014. He was an assistant coach in the 1970s and the Bearcats head coach from 1981 to 1988 and again from 2004 to 2007.
鈥淚 was planning on coming back next year,鈥� said Skiles, who added that he willingly stepped away. 鈥淚 have had a lot of evaluations over the years but nothing ever like that. I think it was way over the top.鈥�
Martin said he thought the meetings, including the final sitdown, was amicable.
鈥淗is resignation was a surprise to me,鈥� Martin said. 鈥淲e had great conversations. He has always been, in my opinion, a great motivator and role model. We thought we came to some good resolutions for moving ahead. Ultimately, I would say I think the crux of the matter was some communication issues.鈥�
The district鈥檚 board will meet Jan. 16. It will be the first meeting since Skiles submitted his resignation.
鈥淥ne of the things I said to Ron was we had no concern about his ability to coach,鈥� Martin said. 鈥淩on鈥檚 ability to coach and motivate has always been his strength. I made that very clear to him and everyone in those meetings.鈥�
Bentworth finished 5-5 after dropping back down to Class A with the WPIAL realignment. The Bearcats last made the playoffs in 2015, which ended a nine-year drought of missing the postseason.
鈥淲e have a good team coming back,鈥� Skiles said. 鈥淭he kids have been great. The administration had been great. It鈥檚 an unusual way to go out, that鈥檚 for sure.鈥�