Approval of P'burg coaches delayed Tuesday, July 18, 2006 • By MIKE WEILAMANN • The Express-Times PHILLIPSBURG | Phillipsburg High School sports coaches will have to wait at least a few more days to receive official approval for the 2006-07 school year. Rick Thompson is among those coaches still in limbo. Thompson, the head cross country and wrestling coach for the Stateliners, was the main focus of Monday night's special school board meeting. All coaches at the high school have yet to be approved for the coming school year -- a procedure generally conducted in late May or early June. The holdup has been the administration's ongoing investigation of Thompson, which was revealed during Monday's meeting. The investigation began during the spring. "My anticipation is that the appointment of coaches will be on (the agenda) for next Monday's (regular) meeting (July 24)," said Richard Bauch, the board's labor attorney. Thompson and his wife Becky both attended Monday's meeting, but Thompson had no comment on the investigation. Jim Sheridan, a volunteer assistant coach in cross country, also spoke on Thompson's behalf. The pressing issue now is the approval of the fall coaches, who already have begun preparing for the season which officially begins with practices in mid-August. Superintendent Gordon Pethick had said during last month's regularly scheduled meeting on June 26 that the coaching approvals are targeted for Monday's regular board meeting. Thompson was ousted twice before as the head wrestling coach in the late 1980s and mid-1990s. The former two-time state champ at Phillipsburg was hired for his third stint as wrestling coach prior to the 2003-04 school year. The hiring process dragged out all summer in 2003 after former coach and two-time Phillipsburg state champion Greg Troxell resigned in May. The Stateliners went 13-8 and captured the NJSIAA North 2 Group 4 sectional crown -- the school's 26th title in 27 years since the sectionals were formed in 1980 -- this past season. In three seasons since his return, Phillipsburg is 43-21 overall and has won three Skyland Conference Delaware West Division titles, three sectional crowns and the Group 3 state title in 2004. Mike Weilamann can be reached at 800-360-3601 or by e-mail at mweilamann@express-times.com © 2006 The Express-Times. Used with permission.