By LARRY BOWEN
NAVASOTA — Lee Fedora and supporters of Navasota’s athletic director and head football coach claimed victory Monday in a two-week battle to have Fedora’s contract extended as usual.
The final score was 7-0.
At a special meeting Monday night, Navasota school board members voted unanimously to extend Fedora’s contract through June of 2018. Such extensions had been common practice since 2006 at Navasota for Fedora, whose teams have won two state football championships in the last four years.
At the board’s regularly scheduled meeting Feb. 15, however, a motion to extend Fedora’s contract died due to lack of a second. The failure to grant the extension surprised Fedora and superintendent Rory Gesch, who recommended adding a year to Fedora’s contract, which pays $93,156.37 annually.
Public response got Fedora’s extension onto the agenda for a special meeting, which drew about 60 people to the board meeting room, apparently all in support of the Rattlers head coach. Members of the crowd applauded when Hollis Hood’s motion was seconded and again a few moments later when the motion passed 7-0.
Fedora attended the meeting and spent most of a one-hour, 37-minute closed session with board members.
“I’m very pleased with our community,” Fedora said. “I wouldn’t have known that this many people were going to show up in support, but I’ve always said in 11 years that I’ve been here, what makes this such a great place is the community support.
“The best thing is that it’s finally over. It’s time to move forward. At least I know it’s over with and I’m not worrying about it, and that will help me relax more.”
After the vote on Fedora’s contact, board members took a brief break and then returned to closed session. The meeting room was almost empty 10 minutes later. Navasota’s all-state quarterback Shelton Eppler headed home happy after coming from baseball practice to the board meeting.
“I’m very relieved to know that they extended his contract,” Eppler said. “He’s one of the greatest coaches to ever coach the game of football and the greatest AD. He tells us that adversity’s going to hit, and it’s how you overcome it. I think he did pretty good on that.”
Board members attributed the delay in extending Fedora’s contract to lack of communication or a matter of clearing up small issues with Fedora.
“There’s been a lot of concern raised in the community, and I don’t think that was intended by the lack of action by the board two weeks ago,” president John Price said. “I think it really comes down to a matter of communication between the athletic director, the board, the superintendent … all the parties involved.”
Hood, a staunch supporter of Fedora, read a statement praising the coach and pointing out the Navasota athletic department’s success in several sports before the board voted. Hood said the closed session meeting with Fedora was positive.
“I think there were some things discussed that needed discussing and cleared the air,” Hood said. “When we were in the board meeting before, I don’t believe how it came out was really what the board members felt. There were two or three little things that needed to be discussed, and we just let it slip by.”
Fedora and board members said the could not provide details of what was said in the closed session.
Interest in Fedora’s future showed in two popular forums at the meeting, with the issue spawning T-shirts and a hash tag. Two men and a 9-year-old boy wore t-shirts with SAVE FEDORA, VOTE McGINTY on the front in reference to board candidate and Fedora supporter Mark McGinty. The back of the shirts was emblazoned with #TEAMFEDORA.
Board member Greg Mock, whose nephew, Sammy Blair, was a star receiver for Fedora, said the furor over the lack of a vote on Fedora’s extension “was much ado about nothing really.”
“Coach Fedora’s coaching contract was never really in question at any time,” Mock said. “He’s always done a stellar job. Look at his record.”
Fedora’s success at Navasota has made him attractive to larger schools. Since taking over at Navasota, Fedora has turned down an offer to become head coach at A&M Consolidated, his alma mater. He also was a finalist for the head coaching job at Temple.
Although Fedora admitted that it has been tough getting phone calls from around the state since the Feb. 15 board meeting, he declined to comment on what impact the last two weeks might have on his future at Navasota.
“I’ve worried about losing him every year,” Hood said. “I don’t think it helps. I think he knows that he has a place here and it’s secure.”
Navasota fan James Harris attended the meeting and said he hoped the board’s vote was a step in the right direction.
“The public really doesn’t know why they didn’t extend his contract before,” Harris said. “I’m just glad they came back today and got it fixed right. I think the healing process started when we got a second. Then everybody voted and we moved on.”
In 11 seasons at Navasota, Fedora’s teams have gone 109-30. Fedora previously made head coaching stops at Rogers and Waco Robinson, and his overall record is 167-55-1.
The Rattlers were 12-1 last season and have gone 54-3 over the last four years, including the two state championships. After going 3-7 in Fedora’s first season, Navasota has not lost more than three games in a single season.
Story courtesy of The B/CS Eagle