Strand keeps up push for ousted Chester hoops coach
Super says reinstating Larry Yarbray is not going to happen
CHESTER >> The Rev. Horace Strand was flanked Tuesday morning outside Chester High School by about a dozen ardent supporters of two-time state championship winning coach Larry Yarbray.
On April 28, Yarbray was informed his contract would not be renewed, which riled Strand and a growing contingent of community members into action to protest the lack of explanation for the basketball coach’s dismissal.
“The community it sees him as a successful coach who has mentored many young men in this community for over 20 years,” Strand said.
Strand, the pastor of Faith Temple Holy Church, has taken on the role as spokesman and advocate for Yarbray in the weeks since the termination was made public. He has talked up Yarbray’s value as an educator and positive influence on mentored.
Nearly four out of five athletes under Yarbray were accepted to higher levels of education during the nine years as head coach, Strand said.
The graduation the entire student only at 41 percent.
“I am hopeful that the administration understands that this is not a protest to create unnecessary problems for the district or for taxpayers,” Strand said. “This is about an injustice that was done to a coach with a stellar record.”
The Chester Upland School District website has posted and removed a job opening for the position that read, “This is an exciting opportunity for someone with expertise to coach our high schools boys (and) to have a lasting impact on Chester’s students and families.”
Strand said he and Dr. Juan Baughn, acting superintendent for the Chester Upland School District, spoke over the phone this week regarding Yarbray’s the students he rate of body is termination. Strand said he felt positive that the demands he’s established have been acknowledged by Baughn.
“I am very pleased,” Strand said of the conversation with Baughn. “I have the highest level of respect for Dr. Baughn, he is an honorable man.”
Baughn acknowledged Tuesday that he did indeed speak with Strand, but said that a negotiation to reinstate Yarbary as coach was not part of those talks.
“There is no conversation about reinstating Larry Yarbray,” Baughn said. “We are in conversation, but it is not about reinstatement.”
Baughn declined to comment further.
Yarbray has not yet spoken out about his dismissal, leaving public comment to Strand, who now has held two press conferences outside Chester High School, and another meeting a night last week at the Faith Temple Church in Chester.
He said he is rallying support in advance of a school board meeting on May 18, where he hopes to confront Baughn, district Receiver Peter Barsz, and members of the school board.
“There will be no further protests until they get back to us, or else that school board meeting will belong to us,” Strand said.
Strand said he is awaiting school officials to sit down with Yarbray to discuss the reasons behind his dismissal. The administration has not given reason, other than “it was time for a change.”
The 2014-15 Clippers tumbled to a 14-11 record and represents the only team since 1992-93 to not qualify for
Most recently, the Clippers bowed out in the quarterfinals in the District 1 tournament and again in the quarterfinals of PIAA state tournament. The team finished 22-6 on the season. the state tournament.