Kevin Croke, Hockey Coach, City Engineer, Leaves Statement:

"I wish Mr Lemont the best, but also think it's time for the City to move forward and not blast back into the 90's."”

Kevin Croke

The EPHS hockey coach who also works for the city in the DPW engineering division has responded to the many questions running through East Providence since he and the school's soccer coach were told they can't do both, coach and work for the city. A social networking effort has begun a petition drive to allow people like Croke and Vieira to coach. Here is the petition:

"Two EPHS coaches, Hockey Coach Croke and Boys Soccer Coach Vieira have been told that they will no longer be allowed to continue in their positions as coaches while being employed by the city (in Public Works and Parks/Recreation respectively). These coaches have worked through their lunches and used vacation and personal time to leave work in order to coach their championship teams.

Please let Acting City Manager Paul Lemont know that we put our children first and will not let this go by giving up two coaches that have led championship teams. There has to be a way to work out the conflicts in a way that doesn't hurt our student-athletes. Please let our City Council know that they need to take some control back on this issue and ask some serious questions. We need a policy on issues like this going forward to do what's right for both the city and schools." Readers can find the petition on facebook.

Croke has also been the subject of intense social networking as a spirited support of him retaining his hockey coaching position continues. Croke has responded with a lengthy statement:

"I'd like to thank Councilwoman Tracy Adams Capobianco, School Committee Member Joel Monteiro and Chrissy Rossi for their strong leadership and commitment to the people of East Providence and our high school athletic program. I am humbled by the overwhelming support our great community has provided for both soccer coach Tony Vieira and myself. It is truly inspiring to see how many East Providence residents still bleed Red and White!

As the hockey coach at the high school one of our most challenging aspects is secure adequate, timely and inexpensive ice time at reasonable hours for the program. We are one of 30 high school boys teams, 10 high school girls teams, 10 local youth hockey programs, 2 NCAA D1 Men's teams, 2 NCAA D1 Women's teams, 2 NCAA D3 Men's teams, 1 NCAA D3 Women's team, 1 ACHA D1 Men's Club Team, 1 AHCA Women's team and 3 AHCA D2 Club teams vying for the same dozen or so sheets of ice Rhode Island has to offer for our practices. To find ice which adversely impacts our student athletes education process as little as possible is the most important aspect of securing ice time. For a student to have to get up at 4AM 4 days each week for a 5:30 practice isn't conducive to the learning process, nor is skating at 9pm every night and being wound up until the wee hours the best route. On the other hand, to purchase prime time ice, that is ice time between 4pm and 8pm, would be far too expensive for the school district. Somewhat like Trivago, we have been able to purchase ice which is classified as unsellable at a significantly discounted rate. Not only are we able to purchase the ice time at a significantly reduced rate, but we are actually able to get longer sheets. Ice is typically sold in 50 minute blocks. We were able to secure 2 - 80 minute sheets of ice for the cost a 50 minute discounted sheet per sheet of ice. By contracting the 2 unsellable sheets of ice the rink threw in a prime time 60 minute sheet of ice at the discounted rate. So, the hockey team's practice schedule this past season was Mondays 2:30-3:50, Tuesdays 9pm-10:20, Wednesdays 4pm-5pm and either Thursday mornings at 5:30 or Friday afternoons depending upon our weekend game schedule. The Thursday or Friday sheets were also at the lower rate. As for my schedule: on Mondays I'd take my own time to leave at 2pm and on Wednesdays I worked through my 60 minute lunch and left 20-30 minutes early somewhere between 3:30 to 3:40.

Due to a City related project I worked on from late July through the first week of December I ended up pushing most of all my vacation time to December. I was off I think from December 5th through the New Year. Both Martin Luther King Day and President's Day fell on Mondays which the City celebrated the holidays. Add to that, the winter storms seemed to all fall on Mondays. The resulting school cancellations caused practice to be cancelled. As we totaled up the number of Mondays I took my time to leave at 2pm to coach, I believe there were 4. There were also I think 2 Fridays I used my time to leave at 2pm for a 2:30 practice. Our Wednesday practices were held at 4pm. I'd leave work usually between 3:30-3:40 to make it to the rink. During the day, I rarely take coffee breaks, and almost never take my lunch break.

Although it has been stated I work between 8-4, today was actually the first day I have worked those hours since the first week of May. My job requires me to oversee the construction of City projects, roads, sewers, storm drains, sidewalks, soccer fields, subdivisions etc. To be able to do my job properly I need to mimic the hours of the Contractor working in the City. Over the past month and a half that has required me to begin working between 6-7am. My day ends when the contractor is done, that could be 2pm or 3pm, or even 7pm or 8pm. I often go into work and simply don't know when I'll be getting out. From late July last year through the first week of December my hours were similar. In that 4 and a half month period, I may have had 2-3 days I worked 8-4. Having worked for the City for almost 27 years I earn 5 weeks vacation, and get 3 personal days and 4 personal days out of my sick time per year. I also have the ability to accrue unlimited comp time. No where in my contract is there a dictate as to the City having any say in what I use my time off to do. No where in the Personnel Ordinance does it prohibit me from coaching and working for the City. No where in state law or federal law does it prohibit me from this either.

Since this first transpired, I have had a single 45 second conversation with Mr Lemont regarding this affair. That was approximately March 25th in the driveway of City Hall. At that time Mr Lemont simply told me he wasn't letting anyone take their lunch at 3pm. There was no mention of double dipping, vacation use, etc. It was strictly about no one taking their lunch at 3pm and leaving early. Then, about 2 weeks ago Tony Vieira informed me of his second conversation with Mr Lemont which now included the HR Director or one of her employees calling what we do double dipping. Mr Lemont added that the use of our earned vacation or other accrued time off to coach our local high school was now prohibited.

Most of us don't coach for the money. After taxes, the check barely covers the expenses we incurred supporting our teams during the season. With what I have left, I take my wife out someplace nice and get her a nice gift. Without her patience and support I would be unable to do what I love. For the 15-16 weeks I'm in season, she is truly a "Hockey Widow".
Coaching is a passion, it's a commitment, it's time consuming, it's frustrating, it's exhilarating. But there's nothing in the world I'd rather be doing.

To respond to some of the questions I've seen floating around:

Do I leave everyday?
NO, I took personal or comp time to leave at 2pm about 6 times this past season. On Wednesdays throughout the season, I skipped lunch and left between 3:30-3:40pm.

Does my boss support my coaching and my use of comp/personal time to do it?
YES, he is 100% supportive of me coaching and the use of my time to do it. Prior to applying and accepting the hockey coach position at EPHS I discussed this with him extensively. He still enthusiastically supports me today.

Can an assistant coach start practice without me?
First of all, my assistant is a teacher in Cumberland, which dismisses for the day at 2pm. We practice at the Cranston Bubble. Due to his commute, he typically arrives at the rink right at the start of 2:30 practice. He is more than capable of handling the practice. Having said that, hockey is a game played on a surface harder than concrete enclosed with an inanimate object (boards). The game is played by student athletes with two stainless steel blades an eighth of an inch wide, each having 2 edges so sharp they could shave an adult Neanderthal. Our tool is a 5' composite stick capable of shooting a six ounce vulcanized rubber puck at speeds exceeding 100 MPH. Safety of my student athletes is my number 1 priority. I like to be there and feel better when 2 or more coaches are present.

Finally, someone mentioned testifying in court?
In October 2002 in the Matter of Ali Khorasani vs the City of East Providence, a number of employees from my office were compelled to testify in Superior Court on behalf of Mr Khorasani. I was one of those employees. Mr Khorasani prevailed and the fallout from the verdict contributed to Mr Lemont's subsequent separation from the City.

Since Mr Lemont's return 2013, I've had several cordial conversations with him. I like Mr Lemont. I think he's a good guy. I do disagree with his assertions on our use of time off. I'm not sure he has/had all the facts straight, or if his information was simply skewed. I think it's better off left with the employee's supervisor to approve the use of vacation/personal/comp time.

I wish Mr Lemont the best, but also think it's time for the City to move forward and not blast back into the 90's.

Thank you Townies everywhere for your overwhelming support!"