Soccer Coach Jorge Severini: I Was Forced To Resign

Supporters and long-time admirers of Jorge Severini spoke highly of the longtime Haverford High School soccer coach who was asked for his resignation on Dec. 21.

At last Thursday’s Haverford School District meeting, some of Severini’s supporters told the school board that they were shocked to hear that the Haverford High School boys' varsity soccer coach of 22 years was being asked to leave.

Bob Billbrough, a manager of the Haverford Soccer Club, where Severini is also the head coach there, was the first person to speak.

“I would like to see Coach Severini stay on as coach of this team. I haven’t been given any reason as to the firing. I think it’s very disappointing to the incoming senior class that they weren’t consulted on it,” he told the board, adding that it would take time for a new coach to learn the team.

Mimi Halligan, the fourth and last speaker, was passionate in her support of Severini.

“Jorge is a good friend of mine. I’m sad for him and his family. This is no way to end a wonderful 22-year career. … I believe Haverford handled this whole situation poorly. We are all role models for our children and I’m ashamed to think my kids would think this is the way the world works.

“When Penn State decides it’s times up for Joe Paterno, do you think they will blind side him in a meeting and ask for his keys and tell him not to speak to anyone? It doesn’t sound right, does it? Jorge Severini should be treated better than this and I believe you also know this is true,” she said.

School board president Denis Gray told the packed audience that the board would not comment regarding Severini or his employment status.

Severini, who attended the meeting, left the meeting room of the Oakmont building with his supporters. In the hallway, Severini said that he was surprised that he was asked to resign and feels that there was something behind it, but he was not sure what it was.

“I was called in on Dec 21, by Principal (Jeffrey) Nesbitt along with Athletic Director Joanne Patterson. Upon entering the office I was told to turn in my keys and that they were expecting my resignation within 24 hours. I was totally shocked and overwhelmed by this development as there were no prior warnings during the season that implied that there were any problems or concerns,” Severini stated in a news statement that he e-mailed to the Haverford-Havertown Patch on Tuesday.

Severini stated that Nesbitt and Patterson told him that there was a survey that was given out after the soccer season ended and a few parents complained about him. He continued in the news statement that he was not shown the complaints or was given the chance to address them.

According to Severini, Nesbitt and Patterson did not ask for “my side of anything.”

“As to my resignation ... I feel that I would not be true to all my supportive players and their parents, who I feel are a very important part of me (almost like my family), so I have been waiting and hoping for a positive outcome of several follow-up meetings between the parents and principal,” stated Severini, who said in a follow-up interview on Wednesday that he is fighting the resignation request.

Superintendent William Keilbaugh said last Thursday that the board does not comment on personnel issues.  

“We thank Mr. Severini with 22 years of service and the job is posted,” he told the Haverford-Havertown Patch at the end of the meeting.

On Wednesday Nesbitt said that he could not comment on the issue and Patterson has not returned a call left for her.

Severini, who was born in Argentina, played professional soccer internationally and nationally since 1964. He is also the director and founder of the World Class Soccer Camp.