A former Moon Area High School girls basketball coach had an intimate physical relationship with a player half his age for nearly a year, according to Moon police. Moon police Tuesday charged Thomas Szczepankowski, 35, of Moon, with a felony charge of endangering the welfare of children and a misdemeanor charge of corruption of minors for the alleged relationship he had with a 17-year-old girl beginning in late summer 2004 and ending in May. Allegheny County Deputy District Attorney Laura Ditka reviewed the investigation and approved the filing of charges, Moon police said. Citing Szczepankowski's cooperation with police, arrangements were being made through Szczepankowski's attorney for him to turn himself in, Moon police Chief Leo McCarthy said. Neither Szczepankowski nor his attorney returned calls for comment yesterday. The girl told police that her relationship with Szczepankowski started with back rubs and progressed to kissing, undressing, genital touching and simulated sexual intercourse, according to court documents. The documents did not say where the encounters took place. Szczepankowski, who was also a health and physical education teacher, resigned from the district on June 6, the same day court documents say the girl spoke with police. He had been employed there for about six years. His salary as teacher and coach was about $52,000. District Solicitor Jack Cambest said the district was unaware of the relationship between Szczepankowski and the girl until she came forward in late May. The district began investigating the case, but halted the probe when Szczepankowski resigned. Cambest said there were earlier allegations against Szczepankowski, but the district knows of no other criminal conduct or violations of the state school code by Szczepankowski. "We have not been able to identify any independent evidence other than the statements of the student. It will be a he-said, she-said situation," Cambest said. "There were no allegations, no documents, nothing that would've made the district aware that anything improper was going on." Cambest said the district will notify the state Department of Education of the charges. The Education Department investigates whenever an educator is charged with a crime, said spokeswoman Stephanie Suran. Former Moon Area school board member Chuck Story said he noticed problems with Szczepankowski shortly after his hiring as coach in 1999. Story claims Szczepankowski harassed and verbally abused his players, including his daughter, who graduated in 2002 and was a sophomore when Szczepankowski started as coach. He said the coach would pry into the girls' lives, on and off the court. "He has a controlling personality, and he wants the players to know not only is he their coach, he's their dominator and controller," Story said. Story said he took his concerns to the athletic director in 2000, but they were "brushed under the carpet." "I just wish that we would have been able to stop him earlier so that it wouldn't have progressed to this and other kids wouldn't have gotten hurt physically and mentally," Story said. "I think it empowered him when I couldn't do anything to stop him and his games. He got bolder as time went on." Former district Solicitor Lee Price investigated Szczepankowski in 2002 after more complaints arose, but no action was taken. Price declined to comment. Szczepankowski posted a 125-47 record in six seasons at Moon Area High School, winning the WPIAL Class AAA championship last spring.

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