The Herald, Sharon, PA Published Thursday, November 14, 2002


60-foot
fall kills
Mercer coach


Kubalic was
replacing roof

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By Kristen Garrett
Herald Staff Writer

A Mercer High School wrestling coach, whom school administrators described as dedicated to the school and community, was killed Wednesday when he fell through a roof on which he was working.

Kevin Kubalic, 32, of Mercer was replacing a rubber roof on an industrial warehouse in Pittsburgh when he fell through a weak section, Pittsburgh police said. He fell about 60 feet onto railroad tracks, police said.

The accident happened at 9:58 a.m.; Kubalic was pronounced dead at 10:30 a.m. at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital, a spokesperson for the Allegheny County Coroner's Office said. An autopsy is expected to be performed today.

"First of all, our entire community is in shock over this tragic accident," said Hugh Ringer, Mercer High School's athletic director. "He (Kevin) was totally committed to Mercer Mustang athletics and particularly the wrestling program. He was a 110 percenter. He devoted incredible amounts of time to the program."

Mercer schools Superintendent Dr. Lawrence Connelly said he had known Kubalic for 16 years, when he was a student at Mercer.

"It's a tremendous loss not only to the school, but also to the whole community," Connelly said.

Kubalic was a 1988 graduate of Mercer High School where he played football, wrestled and participated in track and field with a specialty in pole vaulting. He went on to wrestle at Slippery Rock University. Kubalic was an assistant wrestling and football coach at Mercer for several years and volunteered as a track and field coach.

He was named head wrestling coach after Keith DeGraff retired from the position last year.

"I am convinced as athletic director that Kevin was going to be an outstanding wrestling coach," Ringer said, adding Kubalic was hired in part because of his loyalty and dedication to the school.

As an example of his dedication, Ringer said, Kubalic was at the school at 6:30 Wednesday morning to supervise weight training for the wrestling team before he drove to Pittsburgh for work.

The 45 members of the junior and senior high wrestling teams were called to the auditorium Wednesday afternoon and told of Kubalic's death, Ringer said. Students were given an hour afterward to talk to counselors if they desired, Connelly said.

Ringer said besides administrators and concerned parents there were also grief counselors and clergy members on hand to help the students.

Besides wrestling, Kubalic coached track and junior and senior high football, as well as Little League and midget football. Most of his coaching was volunteer work, Connelly said.

"Just by looking at all those, you can imagine how many kids' lives he has touched who go to our school," Connelly said.

Classroom teachers told the rest of the students about Kubalic's death at the end of the day, Ringer said.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was called to investigate the accident, police said. Kubalic was working for Burns Industrial Roofing Systems, Mercer.

Staff writer Erin Palko contributed to this story.



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