District: Search for New Clayton Football Coach to Begin Immediately

A job posting for a new football coach will immediately be posted, the stated Friday in an email. Interviews for the position will begin after the opening has been posted for a week.

The decision comes after a Wednesday meeting of the Clayton Board of Education in which over the dismissal of former coach Sam Horrell. The early this month after an investigation that it said indicated the coach had violated by-laws of the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA).

Administrators at Clayton High have been "making plans with the assistant football coaches to have them supervise and provide continuity for the football program over the next few months," the email states.

The district also has appealed MSHSAA's ruling that students involved in violations are ineligible to play football for a calendar year, the email states. MSHSAA is expected to make a decision about the student athletes' eligibility at its next meeting June 15.

The district has also posted letters related to the Horrell investigation. In one letter, Clayton High self-reported the suspected violations; in another, MSHSAA responds to that letter; and in a third, Clayton High contacted parents of football players.

The email also outlines additional plans for the upcoming football season:

• Assistant coaches Doug Verby and Kurt Leopold will field questions from parents and provide information regarding summer workouts and activities.

• Registration for the summer football camp planned June 6-10 must be made through .

Athletic staff plan to meet with students planning to play football during the 2011-12 season "to keep them informed about the work that is being done to maintain stability in the CHS football program," the email states.