Poggiali, Brown won't take AD, coach jobs

SANDUSKY — Sandusky Schools superintendent Dan Rambler announced on Tuesday that Lucas Poggiali and Jamaris Brown both asked that their names be withdrawn from consideration for the athletic director and head football coach jobs. Lucas Poggiali has been head football coach at Sandusky High School for the past two seasons. Register file photo Rambler planned to ask school board members to approve both men for the new appointments at the school board's regularly scheduled meeting, which started at 8 a.m. The board immediately went into an executive session and left the board room for a closed-door discussion on a personnel matter. When the board emerged about 50 minutes later and reconvened for the open meeting, Rambler made the announcement about both candidates deciding against taking the jobs. Poggiali has been the high school head football coach for two years, and Brown has served as associate head football coach and defensive coordinator the past two seasons. Their decision against accepting the jobs came after concerns were raised that the selection process had been biased and unfair. Rambler met with community members Monday evening, some of whom were outraged by the selection of Poggiali over another candidate, JaMarcus Hampton. Poggiali issues statement Following the announcement Tuesday morning, Poggiali published a lengthy statement on his Facebook page about his decision to withdraw his candidacy. In the four-page statement, Poggiali defended his qualifications for the job but said he would step back for his family's sake. Here are some excerpts from his statement: • "When the district made the announcement prior to (Tuesday) that they were recommending my promotion to athletics and activities director, it's because they knew how much I wanted to tell our team in person that I was no longer going to be their head coach. I didn't want them to hear it from anyone else." • "When my replacement was recommended to take over without an interim tag, or a search, it's because they valued how much I thought our student-athletes needed to know they were in good hands." • "Amidst all of this, a lot has unfolded. My family and former colleagues and mentors have endured personal information being publicized. I've been called unqualified and undeserving (and) I've been thrust into a controversy that has altered some of the climate at Sandusky High School, and perhaps other parts of the district. Not within the student body." • "After Monday (June 3) I came to the realization that I needed to put my family first and I needed to protect them moving forward. I'm not sure I'm willing to sacrifice the lives of my wife and daughter and subject ourselves to controversy and potential future undermining." • "So I ask members of a community that feel I'm undeserving: do you deserve me, scratching and clawing to prove to people that I'm worthy, and neglecting my family in the process?" • "My future role at the district is very unclear at this time. But one thing that is very clear is my commitment to being there for my family, and that will always come first." • "I want to thank the district and so many others who believed in me and thought that I was the best person for this position. While I still believe that to be the case, I am not able to move forward with my original commitment." Poggiali closed his statement with an appeal to the community to understand his reasoning and an invitation for those who do not understand to reach out to him privately. "I will always have a deep love and passion for this district," he wrote. * Check back here for updates and get Wednesday's Register for more of on this developing news story.