Coach spent from team’s account
GREENSBORO — Stan Kowalewski, Northern Guilford’s ousted boys basketball coach, spent more than $4,000 from a nonprofit bank account set up for the basketball team to pay his personal bills — his yard service, his electric and natural gas bills, his home extermination service — according to documents obtained by the News & Record.
On numerous occasions, Kowalewski wrote checks to himself, including one on Christmas Eve 2008 for $1,500.
Kowalewski said Friday night he managed the account poorly, but denied the money was misappropriated.
He said he deposited more than $10,000 of his own money into the account and was only paying himself back for expenses incurred.
“The mistake I made was, instead of writing all the checks to myself, where money was owed to me I took a shortcut and wrote (checks) to businesses that provide services to me,” he told the News & Record while attending Northern Guilford’s annual fundraising auction at Canterbury School.
“I certainly paid in and donated a ton more money than I took out,” he said. “I can account for every dime and nickel to our kids.”
The information, obtained through the state’s public records laws, is part of the school system’s ongoing investigation into Northern Guilford’s athletic scandal.
School system attorney Jill Wilson said Friday it is unclear exactly how much money Kowalewski used from the account to pay himself or pay for personal services.
“I have concerns about whether Northern Guilford High School has gotten all of the gifts and contributions that people intended to go to their benefit,” said Wilson said in an interview on Friday night. “There appears to be a large amount (of money) unaccounted for.”
The documents show that Kowalewski used money raised from summer basketball camps, events and a fundraiser golf tournament. In 2008, Kowalewski opened an account for the team at SunTrust Bank under the name “Northern Guilford Basketball.”
Bank records for April, the most recent month available, show checks issued in the name of Northern Guilford Basketball made out to Duke Energy, the City of Greensboro, Northern assistant basketball coach Jeff Schneider, Cardinal (a residential landscaping business), and to himself.
The documents also show Kowalewski established the account using a tax identification number already registered to Northern Guilford High School Athletic Booster Club, the school’s main club.
A tax number shelters nonprofits such as booster clubs from paying taxes. Norman Klick Jr., an attorney for the booster club, told school system officials the club’s officers were unaware Kowalewski had opened the basketball account or that he had used the club’s tax number. Banks often require a tax number to open a nonprofit account.
Booster clubs typically earn their money through concessions, T-shirts and fundraisers.
The money is used to help offset the cost of equipment, travel and other expenses.
Kowalewski said the boys and girls basketball programs ran summer camps in 2007 without a tax number and that coaches were paid in cash.
He said former athletics director Derrell Force, who resigned in April, told coaches last year to open separate accounts to deposit camp money and to use the booster club’s tax number.
Kowalewski said he was disappointed school system officials chose to release the information “and then hide.”
“I’m disappointed in Jill Wilson’s repeated attempts to try to bring me down,” he said. “I’ve been fully open whenever any allegation has been flung out there and tried to explain myself. I wish Guilford County would do the same.”
Kowalewski again hinted he and Northern Guilford supporters are preparing to fight the school system’s investigation that eventually stripped the basketball team of its state crown earlier this month.
“I’m 100 percent convinced we’ll be vindicated on every recruiting, eligibility, financial and academic allegation,” he said.
Contact Robert Bell at 373-7055 or robert.bell@news-record.com
Accompanying Photos
Photo Caption: Former Northern Guilford High School coach Stan Kowalewski (left) and former Athletics Director Derrell Force attend an awards ceremony on Wednesday.
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