Search Group to Seek New Head Basketball Coach

The associate director of Athletics announced Monday that a search committee has been formed to seek out a new head basketball coach.

Members of the committee are Baaron Pittenger, associate director of Athletics; Robert Watson, director of Athletics; John Harvey, the freshman coach; Tony Jenkins, next year's captain; and probably Floyd Wilson, a former head basketball coach and director of the intramural athletic program.

Pittinger said that he has received over 40 applications from coaches all over the country who are interested in the Harvard job. The list includes a number of head and assistant coaches at major colleges. He said that the search committee would begin screening applicants immediately after Spring vacation.

More Money

In order to hire a coach with experience in the college ranks, the Athletic Department will almost certainly have to come up with around $15,000. Since the Department must pay off the last year of former head basketball coach Bob Harrison's contract, they are pressed for funds and may not be able to pay a high enough salary to attract a first-rate coach.

If the funds cannot be raised for a full-time head coach, the Athletic Department has said that it will hire an interim coach for one year and then conduct an intensive search for a full-time coach next season.

Disbelief

When Watson and Pittinger discussed with the players the possibility of hiring an interim coach at a meeting Monday, a number of them expressed disbelief that the Department could not raise enough money for a full-time man.

The ballplayers told Pittinger and Watson they would prefer that the Department invest all its funds this year in an experienced head coach rather than hiring an interim coach and allowing him to hire an assistant.

Current Coaches

Pittenger and Watson also told the players that the Department was considering retaining JV coach Bob Hart or assistant varsity coach Earnest Hardy in some capacity, possibly installing one of them as freshman coach. However, because of the budget squeeze, Hardy would have to take a substantial cut in his $10,000 salary to stay in the program.

Hart, whose paycheck is significantly smaller than Hardy's would not be forced to take a cut in salary should the budget be tight.