Neshaminy coach suspended for one game

By Rick O’Brien, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER

Posted: October 18, 2012

Neshaminy School District officials have suspended longtime Neshaminy football coach Mark Schmidt for grabbing one of his players by the jersey in a game last week.

Schmidt will not direct practices this week or be on the sideline for Friday night's Suburban One League National Conference game at Bensalem. He said he can resume his coaching duties Saturday.

Neshaminy principal Rob McGee and athletic director Tom Magdelinskas did not return phone calls seeking comment.

Schmidt came under fire for his action after a personal-foul call in the second half of last Friday's 21-14 win over visiting Council Rock South.

"The support I've had through this whole process - from friends, fellow teachers and coaches, and players - has been amazing," Schmidt said. "I'm pretty blown away by it."

The 18-year coach declined to say whether he thought the suspension was justified.

"I don't want to get into that and take the attention away from my coaches and players," he said. "They're getting ready for a big game against Bensalem."

Moving forward, will Schmidt try to change his coaching style?

"I guess the phrase 'old school' is something you have to reevaluate," he said. "That's the way things are these days."

Contact Rick O'Brien at 610-313-8019, robrien@phillynews.com, or @ozoneinq on Twitter. Read his blog, "The O'Zone," at www.philly.com/ozone