The Old Forge School Board approved Tom Gatto as volunteer coach of girls basketball in November, leaving Gatto in position to lead the Lady Devils if they are able to play this winter.
Gatto capped a 20-year career by coaching Old Forge to the 2014 state Class A championship game. If the coronavirus-related suspension of state scholastic sports is lifted as scheduled Jan. 4 and the school board agrees to allow Old Forge to compete, Gatto will run the team.
Lady Devils head coach Ron Stacchiotti is undergoing cancer treatments.
Old Forge is one of the few schools that did not conduct any official preseason athletic practices before Gov. Tom Wolf suspended sports last week.
The only time the team was together was for voluntary workouts, which Gatto oversaw, prior to official starting day.
“We did some volunteer running before we shut down in November,” Gatto said. “I was only with them for about six days.”
Ed Breig will remain as the assistant coach.
Stacchiotti continued the success of the program after Gatto’s retirement.
The Lady Devils returned to the Class A state final in 2015 and, after winning the District 2 title, were one of eight teams left in the state Class 2A title last season when the playoffs ended early because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Gatto has kept in contact with the program, stopping by occasional practices to help work with players on specific skills.
“I tried to stay around,” Gatto said. “It gave me something to do.”
Old Forge returns three starters from its district championship team, including 1,000-point career scorer and all-state forward Olivia Ciullo.
