North Schuylkill head football coach Rick Geist informed the Standard-Speaker Friday evening that he will be tendering his letter of resignation to the school district, ending a coaching and playing career that has extended over 33 years.
"I'm going to hand in my resignation," Geist said. "I don't know if it is going to be Sunday or Monday, but I'm resigning."
North Schuylkill Athletic Director Jim Gross confirmed late Thursday evening that Geist had been suspended for a locker room tirade at halftime of the Panther Valley game in Lansford Oct. 26.
The Spartans are in the playoffs for a fifth consecutive year. They will be the top seed in the Eastern Conference Division II playoffs, and will host a game Saturday.
"I was hoping to coach in the playoffs, but (the school) won't let me," Geist said.
Geist has an overall record of 146-66-1 in 19 overall seasons, including six wins and three losses this season prior to his suspension.
This was Geist's second stint as the head coach at his alma mater.
He took over at North Schuylkill when the Spartans were in the midst of an eight-year run of losing seasons, but in the past seven seasons the Spartans won a District 11 Class AA title in 2009 and came within two wins of playing for a state championship.
Before losing to Schuylkill Haven earlier this season, the Spartans had won three straight Anthracite Football League championships, and were undefeated for 33 straight regular season games.
Geist's first tenure at North Schuylkill came in the early 1990s. The Spartans won an Eastern Conference Class AAA championship, and won a District 11 Class AAA championship in 1996 by defeating Allentown Central Catholic before losing to eventual state champion Berwick.
Geist was let go following the 1999 season but returned to coaching at Cardinal Brennan in 2001.
In his time there, Geist turned the Chargers into a playoff contender, qualifying for the District 11 Class A tournament three times, including two championship appearances, losing to Pius X and Minersville. The program also won three All-American Conference championships.