The Jim Thorpe girls basketball team has found its next head coach.

Nadia (Gauronsky) Pavuk was approved to lead the Olympians’ program during Wednesday’s school board meeting.

Pavuk spent the past 11 years at Pleasant Valley, compiling a 145-117 record and qualifying for the district playoffs nine times, reaching the semifinals twice (2012, 2014). The Bears were 13-10 this past season, falling to eventual champion Nazareth in the quarterfinals of the District 11 Class 6A playoffs.

“For me, personally, I put a lot of time in at Pleasant Valley, and it wasn’t easy to look at that situation and say, ‘I’m ready to step away from it,’” said Pavuk, “There are so many great kids in that district, and a wonderful staff that I’ve worked with. I’ve had a lot of success at Pleasant Valley over the years.”

Pavuk takes over for Rob Kovac, who resigned last month after 13 seasons in charge of the Olympians. Thorpe has had great success in recent years, going 49-7 with a Schuylkill League championship over the past two seasons. This past season, Thorpe finished 23-5 and returned to the District 11 4A championship game, earning a berth in the PIAA state tournament for the second consecutive season.

While she still teaches in the Pleasant Valley School District, Pavuk, who lives in the Lehighton area, was excited to coach closer to home.

“It was an opportunity with great kids, and obviously talented kids,” she said. “But, really, just what I feel to be great kids.”

Pavuk was also an accomplished player at Panther Valley under Kovac, winning a district title and advancing to the Eastern Finals during the 1998-99 season when the team finished 26-6. Her 1,554 career points are still a school record.

“I’m a Schuylkill League girl at the end of the day,” said Pavuk. “Stepping away from the EPC and moving more into the Schuylkill League is just where I grew up, and that’s how I played. I’ve been around the game a long time in the Schuylkill League, so I thought it would be a good fit on that end.”

As excited as she was to be taking over the Olympian program, Pavuk said it was still tough leaving Pleasant Valley.

“The Pleasant Valley kids have been wonderful to coach. I’ve had so many amazing memories - teams, success - but beyond that, they’re just wonderful people,” Pavuk said. “I can’t thank Jake Percey (former Pleasant Valley Athletic Director) enough for giving me the opportunity 11 years ago, and Greg Bowman, who was the assistant at that time, for their confidence in me to start coaching.

“When I took over, the team was second to last in the MVC (Mountain Valley Conference), there was really no parents’ club; there was really nothing there. And I think at this point, we have a successful parents club, we have a team that is competitive every single year. So there are good things there, and they’re good kids.”

The Olympians will return a talented core in juniors Skyler Searfoss, Olivia Smelas and Leila Hurley, all 2019-20 Times News Girls Basketball First Team All-Stars this season.

Searfoss was a third-team selection in Class 4A on the Pennsylvania Sports Writers All-State Girls Basketball team - the second straight season she has made the squad.

“I know the history of the program,” Pavuk said of the Olympians. “I know the grit and desire and the passion that they have for basketball. I’m excited to be a part of it, and be a part of Schuylkill League basketball.”

In addition to Searfoss, Smelas and Hurley, freshman Mackenzie Yuhas earned significant playing time, as did soon-to-be-junior Leah Snisky.

“They have a great core unit, but I think there’s a lot of younger talent there, too,” said Pavuk. “It’s a wonderful program, I’m excited to take over, and I’m excited to be a part of their journey.”

The voting

Pavuk was approved by a 6-2 vote, with Jerry Strubinger and Glenn Confer voting no. Pearl Downs-Sheckler abstained.

Confer took issue with Pavuk’s salary of $7,075 as a new head coach, saying it was “way out of the ballpark.”

“First of all, you’re paying a woman $7,000 that never coached one second of basketball in Jim Thorpe,” he said. “Now I’m sure that’s a lot more than even the last coach, who only lost seven games in two years.

“What I feel is going to happen here is that person is going to stay two years, they’re going to go, and they’re not going to build the program. And I think I’m on the right track by saying that.”

Confer was not happy that a new hire would make the same as another coach, such as football mentor Mark Rosenberger, who has been at the school for over two decades.

“That doesn’t make sense to pay somebody the same as someone who has been there 22 years, and they haven’t won one game,” said Confer. “And you’re giving them the same amount of pay.”

The board noted it would look into its pay scale for coaches.

Strubinger discussed what he felt was a better path forward for the program.

“When the former coach (Kovac) was replaced, he was replaced with the idea of improving the record of the girls that are playing today,” Strubinger said. “My opinion is, we didn’t get the coach that would get the best record, and the best opportunity for our girls. ... I think, by far, we missed the best coach.”

When pressed by other board members that Pavuk deserved an opportunity, Strubinger was unrelenting, noting his choice would have been Marian boys basketball assistant coach Damian Fritz.

“This isn’t practice,” he said. “After investigating the candidates that we interviewed, talking to other people that are very knowledgeable in the sport, their opinion was that Mr. Fritz would have been the candidate that was going to take the program forward.”