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Keresey resigns as DHS AD

Athletic director and a head coach make 11 losses in 18 months

Sheldon Keresey has resigned after serving as Durango High School athletic director for seven years, Durango School District 9-R announced Tuesday.

Keresey’s resignation punctuates a tumultuous 18 months for the DHS athletic department, which now has bid farewell in that span to an athletic director and 10 varsity head coaches, including wrestling coach Doug Cuddie.

“We’ve appreciated all the work that Sheldon has provided to the school district in growing our athletic programs and making our programs accessible to both the students and the community,” Durango School District 9-R public information officer Julie Popp said in a statement.

Since December 2011, John Bernazzani (softball), Klint Chandler (girls basketball), Mark Dutro (cross country, track and field), Aaron Eldridge (girls soccer), Reagyn Germer (boys tennis), Christina McMunn (boys and girls swimming), Matt Seagrave (boys swimming), Dave Weisfeldt (boys and girls tennis) and Greg Wyatt (football) have cut ties with their respective sports for myriad reasons, not all of them entirely personal.

“Second reason is I just don’t feel like – I’ve been trying to get help from the school, and I don’t think that’s been forthcoming,” Wyatt said when he resigned in November. “Support in the building and support outside the building, creating a safe work environment was definitely an issue for me. It’s time for somebody else to take the reins, and I don’t feel like I’m going to get what I need to continue to build this program.”

Popp said Keresey pointed to the position’s strenuous time commitment as cause for his resignation.

Keresey did not return phone calls from The Durango Herald.

“He was a great help to me, gave a lot of support,” Bernazzani said Tuesday. “But I think more importantly, Sheldon was at that school for the right reasons and cared about every student-athlete or any student in the school.

“I learned something from him every year,” said Bernazzani, who cited time constraints for his resignation in January.

Named athletic director in June 2006, Keresey had taught at three different high schools since 1974 before accepting the position. He was head coach of the Fort Lewis College football program from 1988 to 1992 after coaching stints at the University of Northern Colorado and Mesa State.

“We look forward to working with him to identify his replacement and again thank him for all the commitment and dedication he brought to 9-R,” Popp said.

Herald Staff Writer Chase Olivarius-McAllister contributed to this report.

Jun 15, 2013
Turnovers mount


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