Despite requests to consider other options for the school athletic trainer program, Sharpsville School Board on Tuesday renewed a contract with Sharon Regional Health System for athletic trainer services.

Superintendent Dr. Derry Stufft said the athletic committee made the recommendation to renew Sharon Regional’s contract based on satisfaction of coaches and athletes. Because the contract is less than $10,000 a year, it does not have to be bid out, he said.

The board voted 7-1, with physician Dr. Henry VanZanten abstaining, to grant Sharon Regional a three-year contract for $6,000 in the first two years and $8,000 the final year, bringing the total to $20,000 for three years.

Board member Chris Ruffo voted against renewing Sharon Regional’s contract. Before the board voted on the contract, Dr. Daniel Baker made a motion, which Ruffo seconded, to table the item until the April board meeting so the board could accept other bids. The motion was defeated 7-2.

Board vice president Robert Donatelli, who voted against tabling the motion, said if the board were to re-bid the contract, the specifications would have to be re-written.

This is the second year the district has contracted Sharon Regional for athletic trainer services. In previous years, physical therapist Larry Mattocks of Penn-Ohio Rehabilitation, Hermitage, worked with Dr. Edward Uberti, football team and school physician, at football games. Both Uberti, who still serves as team doctor, and Mattocks offered their services for free.

Stufft said the board asked for bids for an athletic trainer last year because the other sports did not have an athletic trainer program. Penn-Ohio bid on the project, but its bid came in higher than Sharon Regional’s.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Uberti said Stufft said at December’s board meeting that at the end of the school year, when Sharon Regional’s contract expires, the board would put the contract up for bid again.

"It’s on the agenda, you plan on voting. It’s February, nowhere near the end of the school year," Uberti said. "What happened?"

Stufft said the athletic committee made the decision to recommend the contract to the board for approval. Board President Robert Timmerman said the coaches and students were happy with Sharon Regional.

"The athletic committee researched it and felt it was the best option," Timmerman said.

Uberti asked if the board could wait for other bids to come in before voting. Former board member Gerry Hanley also asked if the board could wait a month to see if any other bids came in.

Uberti said he did not want to criticize Sharon Regional’s work, but was concerned that injured student athletes did not receive immediate attention because they needed to get referral forms from their family physicians to receive therapy.

"When Penn-Ohio had the contract, the athletes were seen the day of their injury," he said. "Within the hour, we had them at Penn-Ohio. We could see them and not worry about forms or referrals."

Mattocks also said he did not have a problem with Sharon Regional’s training and emphasized getting the athletes into therapy in a timely manner.

"If they are a Sharpsville athlete, it’s a priority to get them in the physical therapy clinic," Mattocks said. "We did it as a service."

Mattocks said Penn-Ohio was prepared to submit a bid for the contract this year, but was not given an opportunity.

"I was told it would be May or June (before bids would be accepted)," he said. "I’ve already proven I can do it for lower. I did it for free for three years."

Walt Sokac, director of rehabilitation services at Sharon Regional, said he’s never heard a "quality concern" from any students or coaches.

"The athletes are a priority to us, as is every other person in the community," Sokac said. "We do the best we can to get them in as quickly as we can."