Hermon fails to renew Tweedie’s coaching contract

HERMON – Alan Tweedie was coaching the Hermon High School boys basketball team in the Bangor High summer league Monday evening.

By the time he returned home, he no longer had a team to coach. The Hermon school committee voted during its regular meeting Monday night not to renew Tweedie’s coaching contract, ending his four-year tenure of guiding the Hawks’ varsity squad.

Superintendent Patricia Duran confirmed the committee’s decision, adding that it came as the board considered a number of nominations for coaching positions. She said there was no discussion during the public meeting about any particular coaches, including boys varsity basketball, and that Tweedie was the only coach nominated not to be rehired.

“I don’t know why the school committee did what they did,” said Tweedie, who has coached for nearly two decades in the Hermon school system and coached basketball for 31 years overall.

“I only know I received the endorsement of the athletic director and the principal and the superintendent. I had received a good evaluation and there was nothing controversial going on.”

Tweedie, who teaches computer science and mathematics at Hermon Junior High School, said he had no inkling that his coaching contract would not be renewed, thus he did not attend the meeting.

“I had absolutely no idea this was coming,” he said. “I got home last night, and when I heard what had happened I was just floored.

“If there was something going on, that’s one thing, but there was no hot issue that I know of. I’ll be interested to find out why they did what they did.”

Tweedie replaced Rick Sinclair as Hermon’s boys varsity basketball coach in the 2001-02 season. His best year came in 2004, when the Hawks compiled a 14-7 record and reached the Eastern Maine Class B final before dropping a 61-45 decision to eventual state champion Erskine Academy of South China.

Last winter, a youthful Hermon team finished with a 5-13 record.

“Last year was a building year for us,” said Tweedie. “But I think we did quite well given how young we were, and that’s what I heard from my superiors. It was a great group of kids and I was looking forward to coaching them again this year.”

Tweedie had a four-year record of 36-42 at Hermon.