Moon Area High School is in the market for a new girls varsity basketball coach.
Alan Alcalde, the school’s athletic director, confirmed Tuesday that Mark Pompeo resigned his position at the end of the recently completed season.
The Tigers finished with a 7-14 record in Pompeo’s fourth and final season and had to play without standout guard Jaedin Griggs, who missed her entire senior season with a knee injury.
Griggs scored 600 career points during her freshman and sophomore seasons, averaging 18 points per game as a sophomore.
She continued her outstanding play as a junior, averaging 18.4 points per game, but was unable to perform this season due to her injury.
Pompeo’s first team went 7-14 but during the next two seasons the Tigers compiled records of 14-9 and 13-8, respectively, making the playoffs in both of those seasons.
Pompeo acknowledged that the loss of Griggs certainly was felt.
“No matter how good of a coach you are, it’s almost impossible to replace 20 points per game,” he said. “That being said, the girls worked really hard. Our record was not ultimately what we wanted. But the record doesn’t necessarily speak to how hard our team played.
“The girls got a lot better this year. And even missing that highly talented player we would have loved to have had with us, we were still in a lot of games and had a chance to do something special.
“If Jaedin was in the mix, I think it’s a completely different story.”
Alcalde said he and the school were grateful for Pompeo’s “time, dedication and service to our student-athletes and the program, and we thank (Pompeo) for his commitment to Moon Area during his tenure.”
Pompeo, 50, grew up in Coraopolis and attended Moon High School. He got into coaching in his late 20s while living in Phoenix when he formed his own 17U AAU team. He also conducted basketball camps and clinics and said he did “a ton of private training with serious basketball players looking to make it to the next level.”
Pompeo wouldn’t offer any specific reasons why he decided to submit his resignation. He said he plans to spend some time with his family, and particularly his wife.
“She’s been so gracious over the years letting me follow my passions with basketball,” he said.
Pompeo is not giving up coaching altogether, however, and said he has opportunities “from my past life that have always been there.”
“But I took time away from that to try to build a program at Moon,” added Pompeo, who originally applied for the boys varsity basketball head coaching position that ultimately went to current coach Gino Palmosina.
Alcalde said the school district has begun the process of identifying Pompeo’s successor.
“Our focus remains on providing a positive, competitive and development-focused experience for our student-athletes,” Alcalde said. “We look forward to continuing to build on the strong tradition of the program at Moon Area.”
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