Parents, athletes and alumni delivered lengthy testimony Saturday urging Palmerton Area School District to reverse the district’s removal of its high school and junior high cross country coaching staff, saying the decision lacks fairness, consistency and transparency, and threatens the stability of a successful program.

While coaches have long been rehired on an annual basis, the district has not publicly stated whether head coach Mike Horvath and assistant coaches Mike Noyola and Dave Frederickson would return in the fall.

“We are grateful for all feedback from our students and parents,” Superintendent Dr. Angela Friebolin said. “While there will be no comment on any personnel situations, our community may be assured that the (cross country) program will remain.”

Parents and students on Saturday said Horvath was told in an end of the year meeting that he would not be brought back.

Several speakers argued that the concerns given to families — students staying on campus after school and Horvath previously bringing his dog to practice — did not justify dismissal and were not consistently enforced across other sports.

Cross Country Parents Club president Kimberly Wentz told the board she was “extremely saddened and disappointed” by the decision and said the move “deeply affected many current and graduated athletes, families and supporters of the program.”

“These coaches do not deserve this treatment,” Wentz said. “The athletes deserve the opportunity to continue working with coaches who believe in them.”

Wentz highlighted a series of program achievements, including the boys’ 2022 district championship — the first since 1987 — and what she called the girls’ “best record since 2012.”

“For the first time in our history, we have back-to-back league and district individual champions with multiple state qualifiers year after year under their coaching,” Wentz said.

Parents said the district’s concerns were either newly enforced, inconsistently applied or raised too late for correction. Allina Payonk said the issue of students staying on school grounds “was not expressed until the end of the season.”

“How can it be corrected after the season is over?” Payonk said. “Younger kids don’t have a driver’s license. What are they supposed to do?”

Payonk also questioned how expectations were enforced across sports.

“If it’s a rule, then it’s a rule, but it needs to be stated,” she said.

She added that concerns about professionalism did not match her experiences with Horvath.

“Coach Horvath has been a coach for six years,” Payonk said. “Why is this a problem this year?”

Athletes from both the junior high and high school programs described the coaches as central figures in their development. Many said the removal of all three at once left them discouraged.

“I feel like the school has failed to be transparent in giving valid reasons for firing them,” eighth grader Gavin Wininger said. “I have grown as an athlete and as a person under their leadership.”

Senior and team captain Emma Rex said the coaches created an environment where all athletes felt supported.

“Coach Horvath has shaped me as an athlete, pushing me to be the best version of myself, and as a person,” Rex said. “The sudden dismissal left all of us feeling upset and very discouraged.”

Senior Ezra Green told the board that the concerns relayed to families did not reflect daily team life.

“It’s just really not our team without Coach Horvath, Coach Noyola and Coach Frederickson,” Green said.

Alumni also spoke in support of the staff.

“These coaches mattered to us,” 2023 graduate Devin White said. “You don’t get this kind of turnout unless coaches have truly made an impact.”

Senior Sean Jahelka said the coaches consistently supported athletes regardless of ability.

“All the coaches really cared about the students,” Jahelka said. “I think punishing him for something he can’t really control doesn’t seem fair.”

Board member Erin Snyder said the district’s structure ties assistant coaches to the head coach.

“The head coach is always able to pick their assistant coaches,” Snyder said. “When the head coach leaves, so do his assistants.”

Snyder said Noyola and Frederickson would be able to apply for the head coach position.

The board did not take action on the coaching positions Saturday.