Canton City Schools has hired Scott Trahey as McKinley High School’s new head coach for boys and girls swimming.
Kelli Weir of The Canton Repository first reported on the story.
According to the initial report, Trahey, who has operated as a physical education teacher at McKinley since August, served as athletic director, physical education teacher, and swim instructor at Old Trail School in Bath, Ohio from 2006 to July 2020, a well as a substitute teacher for Akron Public Schools for the 2020-21 school year.
Trahey’s hire comes as district officials stripped Mike Davidson of his head coaching duties, as an internal investigation into alleged misconduct against Davidson has been ongoing since early September.
Davidson, who had also worked as head coach for the offseason Canton City Schools swim team, reportedly remains the district’s aquatics director overseeing the C.T. Branin Natatorium, according to district spokesperson Lisa Reicosky, although Davidson’s supplemental contract as McKinley head swim coach was not renewed for a fifth season.
According to a Sept. 8 letter in Davidson’s school personnel file, Davidson is not to be on school property or have any form of communication or contact with any Canton City students, parents, or staff members without the permission of the human resources director. Details of the alleged misconduct are not described in the letter, and district officials have declined comment, according to Weir.
Davidson, 53, was hired in October 2017 to replace former McKinley swim coach Sam Seiple, the latter of whom has been convicted twice of charges involving sexual conduct with former swimmers (Seiple was put on probation in May for a three-year period).