Macauley may return

Talk is rumbling in the Sisters community about reinstating Sisters High School Principal Bob Macauley as the high school's head football coach. At the beginning of this school year on August, 24, Macauley announced his resignation from his coaching position to devote full-time energies to his role as high school principal.

Recently a group of students and parents have been circulating a petition with the hope that Macauley's days as the pivotal force in the Sisters High School football program are not over. More than 500 signatures have been collected.

According to Sisters School District Superintendent Elaine Drakulich, Macauley had made the decision to vacate his position as football coach before she joined the district last July.

"Did I try to talk him out of that? No. He's a great administrator. With 100 percent of his time as an administrator, that's where I want to go academically. I also respect that he's an incredible football coach, and he will be difficult to replace, but the perception that I took away the coaching position is inaccurate," said Drakulich.

Drakulich told The Nugget that she has not yet seen the petition that is being circulated throughout the community.

"I don't even know what the petition says, other than I know they love Bob (Macauley) and they want Bob," she said.

She has, however, met with five assistant coaches about the petition, the future of Sisters football program and the possibility of retaining Macauley in his coaching position.

"What they (the assistant coaches) tell me is that the kids have circulated the petition and they've told me that the kids will bring them in when they're complete," she said.

Aware of the petition and the expressed desire by some for him to continue as head football coach, Macauley told The Nugget that currently he is looking at whether or not teaching positions are open at the high school for next year that will allow the school district to advertise for a new football coach.

"We like the way things have gone both for kids and the community. That's really the process right now. It's about 15th on the list of the important things that we have to do in the district," Macauley said. "The thing that I'm happiest about is that we've got our crosshairs on the academics and are getting things aligned in the district. That's going incredibly quick with great momentum.

"I think that the whole thing with the football coach will take care of itself, hopefully in the next month or so. We'll see what kind of (job) openings we have and where we stand with that."

When asked by The Nugget whether or not he would like to continue as football coach, Macauley said: "It's important that all of the work is evaluated and that it can get done and is done. For me it's an emotional decision, too. I like the contact with the kids, and I love the fact that we have a lot of kids coming into the school at the start of the year brought into what we're all about and what we do, and they end up being leaders in the school. That's a big concern for me and how we safeguard the whole program.

"Right now I'm not the coach, and like I said it's not a top priority. It's one of the things we're addressing. I'm just not sure how it's all going to fall just yet. I'm confident we'll end up in a good place though, and that is what is great," said Macauley.

Drakulich plans to continue her conversations with the assistant coaches, to gather information, to listen to students and the community and communicate with Macauley.

"I can't give you a statement about direction (right now)," she said.

What do you think about Bob Macauley continuing as both Sisters High School's head football coach and principal? E-mail your comments to [email protected]