School Board Deciding If Football Coach With 92-28 Record Also Can Be A.D.

With his position as Gateway athletic director already reduced to part-time status, Terry Smith now faces the possibility that he can’t coach the Gators’ football team this fall.

Smith’s fate will be discussed at 7 p.m. Wednesday by the Gateway School Board, which will decide if the athletic director can also be a coach in the district.

“I hope the school board allows me to coach, as well as remain athletic director,” said Smith, whose salary as AD is being reduced from $95,000 to a proposed $43,000.

A Gateway alum, Smith has compiled a 92-28 record in 10 seasons coaching the Gators, who have won six conference titles and reached the WPIAL Class AAAA championship game four times since 2004.

“It’s affected us, especially the seniors,” Gateway senior quarterback Thomas Woodson said. “It’s not a good feeling when you’re worrying about your coach’s job. I hope my coach stays. He got Gateway back to being one of the premier programs in the WPIAL.”