The Jamesville-DeWitt Central School District girls basketball program is experiencing some coaching changes.
On Jan. 13, J-D Girls Varsity Basketball Head Coach Kurt Sweeney announced that he has decided to step down from his position effective immediately to focus on his teaching responsibilities and family. Junior Varsity Girls Basketball Head Coach Keith Cieplicki will take over leading the team with support from the team’s two varsity assistant coaches, Caroline Cottet and Kasey Vaughan.
“We know a change like this mid-season could be upsetting for some students, especially for those who have had a longstanding relationship with Coach Sweeney, who is a well-known teacher at J-D Middle School,” J-D Superintendent Peter Smith said. “We will be doing everything we can to make this a smooth transition, including having a school counselor available to meet with any of the student-athletes who may be distressed by the news.”
Cieplicki is well known in the basketball community. He has coached the J-D girls junior varsity team for the past two years, the boys junior varsity team for five years and has 29 years of coaching experience at various levels, including collegiate, high school and youth recreation. He has coached at such colleges as Vermont, Boston College and Syracuse University, and Sports Illustrated named him one of the 50 Greatest Sport Figures from Vermont. The Los Angeles Lakers drafted him in the seventh round of the 1985 NBA Draft.
Cieplicki will continue to lead the J-D girls junior varsity basketball team with support from volunteer coach Brian Cieplicki, who has been moving toward a leadership role with the team and will be elevated to an assistant coach position with the junior varsity team.
“We all know the enormous pressure our teachers are under as they navigate educating our students throughout this pandemic. We respect and support Mr. Sweeney’s decision to prioritize his responsibilities to his middle school students and colleagues as well as his family’s needs,” Smith said. “He is an integral member of our school community, and we understand the challenges he has been under both teaching and coaching while also navigating a global pandemic on a personal level.”
Sweeney was in his second season coaching the varsity girls basketball team. He previously spent four years as head coach of J-D’s girls modified team and two leading the girls freshmen team.
“This was not an easy decision and one that I have not taken lightly,” Sweeney said. “It’s no secret that I love basketball, and I love coaching. But the reality is that at this point in time, I feel I have to take a step back so that I can focus on my teaching responsibilities and my family.”