Lance Holupka out at United

The United Lions will be led by a new face when they host Heritage Conference foe Purchase Line at Thomas Madill Field on Friday.

Scott Boring has been tabbed as the program’s interim coach, replacing Lance Holupka, who said that he was suspended by the district.

United was 1-16 in portions of two seasons under Holupka with a 1-6 mark this year.

Dr. Barbara Parkins, the district’s superintendent, did not offer comment on the reasons behind the change, citing that it was a personnel matter.  

Holupka noted in a telephone interview that he was given three reasons for his suspension, the first revolving around an edict he issued to the team concerning the sale of tickets for June’s Ken Lantzy Finest 40 All-Star Game. Holupka said that he had told players that if they hadn’t sold the tickets by a Thursday deadline last week, that they would not dress.

“Every school has to sell 50 tickets,” Holupka said. “Had to do so for years. I had to sell them when I played. When I came on as an assistant coach, it was the same way. I handled business the same way as everyone that I followed.”

He later said that players who hadn’t met the deadline still dressed and played in last week’s game at Homer-Center.

He said the other reasons that he was given involved having players in positions that they did not practice at or receive coaching for along with allegations that he was not letting his assistant coaches coach.

“Those are the reasons that I’ve been told,” Holupka added.

“If there are other reasons they have not communicated to me as to why I have been suspended. That’s all I know.”

Boring, a United graduate, served as a junior high coach and varsity assistant at Laurel Valley before the school was closed in 2010.

Boring has worked closely with the remaining assistants at United to work on preparing the Lions for Purchase Line.

“Our goal is to try to stop their running game and Grant Sytser,” Boring said. “He’s quite the runner. We’ll have to play ball-control offense to keep it out of his hands.”