Dec 6, 2023 4 min read

By John Sacco

For the Observer-Reporter

After 19 seasons as Chartiers-Houston High School’s football coach, the district recently informed Terry Fetsko it will not renew him for a 20th season.

The Bucs suffered through a winless 10-game season in 2023 and were 0-7 in the Class A Black Hills Conference.

Fetsko, 59, teaches 9th grade American History and 12th grade Psychology.

Only George Messich at Mapletown (38 years consecutively and 42 years total) has more consecutive seasons in the Washington-Greene County area than Fetsko, and McGuffey’s Ed Dalton has coached the most seasons in Washington County with 24 consecutive at McGuffey (2012-2023) and Trinity (1999-2011).

Fetsko’s C-H teams advanced to the playoffs nine times and finished as high as second in the conference in 2016 (Century) and 2010 (Black Hills). He had more than 100 wins at the school.

The Bucs’ program lost five potential starting players over the past few years to transfer – three to Bishop Canevin, another to Trinity and one athlete moved to Texas. The three players who transferred to Bishop Canevin did so before they were of varsity-age.

Chartiers-Houston lost 13 seniors from its 2022 squad.

Bucs athletic director Jeff Havelka said he had no comment on the matter.

Dr. Gary Peiffer, Superintendent of the Chartiers-Houston School District, said: “I think overall, the decision was made to go in a different, new direction to try and breathe new life into the football program.”

Peiffer confirmed Tuesday an athletic committee meeting was held in early November (5th) during which parents and other citizens voiced concerns about the football program and Fetsko.

Other sources said concerns were also raised about the boys soccer program.

“The purpose of the meeting was to give parents the opportunity to talk about their concerns about the fall athletic programs,” Peiffer said.

“The meeting was scheduled after the (school) board’s meeting held in October. Our solicitor suggested bringing up the concerns in a public forum for fall athletic fall programs.”

Because athletic coaches’ contracts in the district are “year-to-year,” board action is not required. The district can simply opt to not renew those contracts.

Peiffer informed Fetsko of the district’s intentions “later in the month of November” after the Nov. 5 meeting, the superintendent said.

Fetsko declined to be interviewed but did provide a statement.

“When any team doesn’t have a good season in high school sports, a coach can expect a few parents to express their opinions about why they believe this has happened,” Fetsko wrote to the Observer-Reporter. “In relationship to myself, I feel this entire situation should have been handled in a different manner, which in turn would not have empowered the parents.

“My staff and I were looking forward to building upon this young team’s strengths and I presented a detailed plan to do that. Mr. (Jeff) Havelka, our athletic director, supported and approved me to return for the 2024 season in his end of the season evaluation process.

“At any school, if parents feel they have the strength to put pressure on a coach to get what they want, it creates a very difficult situation for that coach to do (his) job. Nowadays, it is difficult enough to find quality coaches or even people who want to be officials due to constant outside interference on them.”

Chartiers-Houston has had only four coaches in the past 63 years — the late Don Clendaniel, the late Joe Ciferno, John Haught and Fetsko.

Also, as part of his statement, Fetsko wrote: “I am grateful for those in the community, the teaching staff and the high school principals who expressed total support of me during this difficult time. I would never want another coach to have to go through the same experience I went through.

“I know this was not easy on my coaching staff as well. They are all experienced talented coaches and many have graduated from Chartiers-Houston, like me, and live in the district. They are quality individuals and I appreciate the total support and commitment they have given to me, the players and this program. I have coached so many great kids over the years including this year, and that is what I will miss the most.”

Fetsko was Avella’s head coach from 1993-1996 and served as an assistant coach at California University and Washington & Jefferson College.

He is a W&J graduate and played as a receiver on the Presidents’ 1987 undefeated regular-season team and Southern Region runnerup.