Politics & Government

Attleboro Girls' Basketball Team Gets a New Coach

Salvador Pina has been given special status to coach Attleboro High's Junior Varsity team.

Attleboro High School will soon have a new girls' basketball coach. Salvador Pina, who works in the Attleboro Planning Office, has been granted Special Municipal Employee status by the Attleboro City Council so that he can coach the junior varsity team.

The request for special status was made by Mayor Kevin Dumas so that Pina could wear both the hat of community development director and AHS coach.

During a to discuss the request Pina's supervisor Gary Ayrassian and Mark Houle of the Attleboro High School Athletics Department spoke in favor of the special status. Ayrassian said Pina's coaching at Massasoite Community College did not interfere with his development job in the past and Houle said Pina was the best candidate for the job

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Some councilors including Councilor Peter Blais felt the job of the Community Development Director was too important and needed Pina's undivided attention and that the Girls' Basketball Team equally deserved a coaches full attention.

Blais spoke out during the committee meeting and again during the Attleboro City Council meeting Tuesday night saying there were too many conflicts with Pina wearing both hats. Councilor Peter Blais pushed to get direct answers to his questions from Houle and Ayrassian during the committee meeting held in late November when he asked about scheduling conflicts and whether Pina would miss practices or games because of his role at . 

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Blais said he was also concerned that Pina's role as coach would interfere with his role in boosting development in the City. The vote passed 7 to 4.

Pina did not respond for request for comment.


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