North Dakota Preps

Superintendent keeps coaches
Eric Peterson, The Forum
Published Thursday, April 24, 2008

Hankinson (N.D.) School Superintendent Jess Smith has decided to retain head girls basketball coach Shawn Gravalin and assistant Mike Loll after investigating complaints lodged against both coaches.

“My part is finished. I’m retaining the coaches,” Smith said. “I just figure there is nothing that stuck. I believe they are good coaches, and they will continue to be good coaches.”

The Hankinson School Board has scheduled a special meeting at 8 p.m. Monday in the school’s library to review the coaching situation. That is the only item on the agenda, Smith said.

Smith said he started his investigation in late March after Fritz and Tammy Geffre – whose daughters, Cody, a junior, and Casey, a sophomore, play on the varsity girls basketball team – gave the school a letter that outlined complaints against the coaching staff.

Tammy Geffre said Wednesday she asked for the special board meeting because she doesn’t think administrators made the right decision to keep Gravalin and Loll.

In the letter, the Geffres accuse the staff of inappropriate touching and behavior around the players, and making sexual comments and verbally abusing players.

Some examples cited in the letter include:

- Gravalin, with Fritz Geffre watching, put his arm around Cody after a game and said, “I love you, Cody.”

- On the final night of the state tournament, some players went to one of the rooms where the coaches were and found numerous cases of beer, liquor bottles and a pyramid of empty beer cans.

- After one of the players had her ankle taped, Gravalin said, “That sure looks sexy.”

- At the start of the season, Gravalin said to Casey Geffre, “Are you going to lose the district game for us like you did last year?”

Gravalin, who plans to attend Monday’s School Board meeting, says the Geffres took things out of context.

“They don’t like the way I coach and they don’t like the way coach Loll coaches, and they decided to go this route with it,” Gravalin said. “I know coach Loll and myself did nothing wrong.”

Tammy Geffre disagreed.

“I don’t think I’m taking this stuff out of context, otherwise I would have never went in,” she said. “I guess I’m hoping the School Board can see that some of the actions of the coaches are inappropriate and not acceptable.”

Tammy Geffre said both of her daughters wrote letters to the Hankinson administration after the season to voice their concerns about the coaches.

The Geffres moved into the Hankinson School District before the 2006-07 school year.

Cody and Casey Geffre attended school in the Fargo Catholic Schools Network the year before they went to Hankinson. Both were part of the Fargo Shanley girls basketball program.

Gravalin, 30, was previously an assistant for seven years in the Fargo North boys basketball program. His contract was not renewed after the 2003-04 season.

Gravalin assisted under Brent Offerdahl, who resigned as head North boys coach in June 2004 amid a school investigation into allegations against Offerdahl of “conduct unbecoming of a teacher.”

School officials would not say at the time if the decision to not renew Gravalin’s contract was related to the case against Offerdahl. The complaint lodged against Offerdahl was eventually dismissed.

Hankinson posted a 21-7 record this winter and finished third place at the North Dakota Class B girls basketball tournament.

Gravalin has been the head coach at Hankinson for the past three seasons. Loll was his assistant this past season.

Gravalin had already signed a contract to coach the team next season.

Geffre had no comment when she was asked what her family would do if the School Board upholds the decision to keep Gravalin and Loll.

I heard the girls are going to go to West Fargo to play for Metcalf...is it just a rumor or does this tell us a little more of the story?

I'd say it tells a little more of the story. I cant see the parents keeping the kids where they dont feel comfortable.

Baller wrote:I heard the girls are going to go to West Fargo to play for Metcalf...is it just a rumor or does this tell us a little more of the story?

If Cody and Casey are planning of playing basketball at another school this year it would require her parents to move into that school district. Otherwise, my understanding is, that they would have to sit out a year.

yes, they would have to sit out a year unless they moved into the district. It's unfortunate that a coach can't tell his complete side of the story--instead of just getting his name drug through the mud. Rumor mill is that part of this backlash came from a discipline action made.

This sounds like a sticky situation, and that nothing good will come out of it. Does anyone know why they moved to Hankinson? Were there issues in their old school, too? If so, that's somewhat fishy. But I have heard and seen some things about the coaching staff, too, so the parents aren't the only one's to blame on this. I don't think they have the best interest in their team, as they seem to holler quite a bit and put on "a show" from the sidelines. Isn't it common sense not to have alcohol in the rooms if you are in that position? And as for the comments, some are probably taken out of context, while some are probably true. Needless to say, it's going to be an interesting board meeting on Monday, and hopefully the Forum will do a follow-up story on what comes out of it.

I can see how some comments could have been taken out of context but the alcohol in the hotel room isn't right. Not when you are in charge of teenage girls. As for sitting out a year, you get around that by renting a cheep one bedroom apartment and have that as your mailing address and voila, you now live in the west fargo school district.

I think Metcalf was their coach at Shanley, and perhaps a female coach would be a better fit for the Geffres.

I would be suprised if they went to West Fargo

The girls? Or their Parents?

The girls were in the meeting with the AD and a few of the other girls...I cannot comment on the parents because I do not know their feelings.

Carl08 wrote:The girls were in the meeting with the AD and a few of the other girls...I cannot comment on the parents because I do not know their feelings.

From your perspective do the players support the coach?

On the final night of the state tournament, some players went to one of the rooms where the coaches were and found numerous cases of beer, liquor bottles and a pyramid of empty beer cans.

That doesn't really say that it was the coaches' room that had all the alcohol. For all we know, it could have been another parent's room. Also, it would be strange for a coach to hit on a player, in front of her parent. It would be interesting to hear both sides, and a clarification of the backgrounds of both sides. How many seasons have the girls been in Hankinson?

scoobyx2 wrote:

On the final night of the state tournament, some players went to one of the rooms where the coaches were and found numerous cases of beer, liquor bottles and a pyramid of empty beer cans.

That doesn't really say that it was the coaches' room that had all the alcohol. For all we know, it could have been another parent's room. Also, it would be strange for a coach to hit on a player, in front of her parent. It would be interesting to hear both sides, and a clarification of the backgrounds of both sides. How many seasons have the girls been in Hankinson?

The article says "The Geffres moved into the Hankinson School District before the 2006-07 school year."

It seems to me that Region 1 is hard on its successful girls' BB coaches. Makes you kind of not want to go to state next year if you are a Region 1 Girls BB coach!

i dont have a problem with facts. but posting rumors about coaches getting run out by parents and players needs to be backed up by facts. if there are school board minutes stating such, fine. Put them on here. But posting up rumors does no one any good.

The forum should post what is said at the board meeting also. Let the coaches say their side. Just curious, has any other kids said anything to this or just this one family? Did this family just think their kids should have better than they really are? Anyone know any of these answers?