Fairfield-Echo.com

With the end of the school year and the beginning of summer conditioning just around the corner, the search for a new head football coach at Monroe High School is going to move quickly.

Athletic director John Singleton outlined a plan of action that has the replacement for departing coach Jason Krause, who was named the new head coach at Middletown on Apr. 24 in place by the May 27 school board meeting.

"The time frame is hurting us," Singleton said. "We need to get the person in by the end of the school year so they can meet with the kids and the coaches and get the summer program together."

The school is planning on accepting applicants until Friday, May 9 and plans on beginning interviews the following Monday, May 12.

Singleton said that he plans on holding two rounds of interviews with incoming athletic director Dave Bauer. In the first round, candidates will meet with Monroe High School coaches and members of the community and the ones that get called back for the second round will meet with superintendent Elizabeth Lolli, principal Robert Leahy, members of the school board and other administrators. The interviews are expected to run through Tuesday, May 20 and Singleton said he hopes to offer the job to somebody the following day.

"We are going to do the same process that we would do any other time of the year, we are just going to do it in an expedited manner," Singleton said. "We need to get the person in place so they can hit the ground running."

The process will begin next week when Singleton and Bauer begin reviewing the applications they receive.

"Dave and I plan on getting together next week to try and whittle it down, set up some interviews and get it done," Singleton said.

Departing coach Jason Krause will finish out the year as the boys track coach and will continue to run the weight program for the football team. Krause spoke with the players the day after accepting the Middletown job.

"I told them it was nothing personal against them, it was just a new opportunity to pursue at this time," Krause said. "It's an opportunity to take my career in a new direction."

Interested applicants can submit their resumes via email to John Singleton at jsingleton@monroelocalschools.com or by mail to: John Singleton c/o Athletic Dept. 220 Yankee Road Monroe, Ohio 45050.

Contact this reporter at dgedney@coxohio.com.

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