March 11, 2006|By LUKE BROADWATER
Archbishop Curley President the Rev. Michael Martin fired wrestling coach Alan Gebhart yesterday over what Gebhart described as a personality conflict between the two men.
Gebhart, who is also a member of Curley's school board, served as the school's wrestling coach for 19 years and guided the Friars to No. 1 state rankings in 1998 and 2002. Since 1996, Curley had crowned 26 individual Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association champions, the third-highest total in the league.
"It was a difference in philosophy, and the school wanted to move in a different direction," Barry Stitz, the school's vice president for advancement, said. "We appreciate all the contributions he made to the school and the wrestling program."
Gebhart said he was "quite surprised and most disappointed" in Martin's decision.
"This came as a shock after another highly successful season," Gebhart said.
The school is forming a search committee to find a replacement for Gebhart.
