Unsigned letter says team backs Holy Family coach

The Holy Family University men's basketball team likely will play Wednesday night's game without head coach John O'Connor after he was suspended for knocking one of his players to the floor during a January practice.

On Monday, the coach's attorney, John Gallagher, provided an unsigned letter from the team urging the university to let the coach return.

"In each of our hearts, we know Coach O'Connor realizes the mistake he made and accepts full responsibility for his actions," the letter said.

The collision between O'Connor and sophomore forward Matt Kravchuk was captured on video. Kravchuk was left with a bloody mouth and an injured wrist, his attorney said.

The letter from the team described the exchange as "accidental body contact." But Kravchuk's attorney, Jack Cohen, said, "the video doesn't lie."

"I don't know who wrote that letter," Cohen said. "To me, it sounds consistent with the school's position of minimizing the incident."

Practices are routinely recorded, and the video in question, which has aired on local newscasts, shows O'Connor snatching the basketball from Kravchuk, his shoulder slamming into the player's face.

Kravchuk tumbles to the ground, breaking his fall with his left wrist. The coach rushes over and - depending on the point of view - either kicks Kravchuk or uses his foot to urge him to get up.

A short time later, the coach berates Kravchuk, noting the blood on his mouth. Kravchuk responds that the coach was responsible for the blood, Cohen said. O'Connor then kicks Kravchuk out of practice.

Cohen said Kravchuk went back to his dorm and e-mailed athletic director Sandra Michael about the incident. Michael also received an anonymous e-mail about the confrontation, Cohen said.

Michael assured Kravchuk and his family that the coach had been reprimanded, but refused to discuss what actions were taken, Cohen said.

Cohen described the university's position as, "Just trust us, it's being handled."

The practice was held Jan. 25. On Feb. 11, Kravchuk's family - still unsatisfied with the university - filed a report with Philadelphia police, Cohen said.

The District Attorney's Office is reviewing the evidence, he said.

Kravchuk has not played since the Jan. 25 practice because of his wrist injury, Cohen said. The university eventually allowed him to leave the team without forfeiting his scholarship.

O'Connor coached five more games before being suspended Thursday. Assistant Brian Duross is now leading the team.

Cohen said the university did not move to suspend O'Connor until the story and video were leaked to news media.

Tom Durso, a university spokesman, said he could not comment beyond confirming O'Connor's suspension because it involved a personnel matter. He also said he had not seen a letter, provided by Gallagher to The Inquirer, from the rest of the basketball team.

"It does appear the remaining teammates really love the guy," Gallagher said.

The letter said O'Connor apologized "profusely" to Kravchuk at a team meeting on the night of the incident. At the end, "our team was all smiles and once again unified," the letter said.

Gallagher said he had been hired over the weekend and was planning to meet Tuesday with O'Connor. He said he could not discuss the case in detail until then.

He questioned the validity of Kravchuk's wrist injury, saying it "didn't come up for a couple of days after the incident."

Cohen said his client had gotten an MRI and planned to visit a surgeon this week for a diagnosis. He said there were no plans to file a lawsuit.

Kravchuk, from Amenia, N.Y., carries a 3.8 GPA in criminal justice, his attorney said. He hopes to become a state trooper or have a career in the military.

Kravchuk, listed as 6-foot-5 and 202 pounds, was not a starter on the basketball team but was "having a good year," his attorney said.

O'Connor, a Philadelphia native, was coaching his first season at Holy Family, which competes in Division II. He spent the previous seven seasons at Georgia Institute of Technology, six as an assistant coach.

Holy Family, which plays University of the Sciences on Wednesday, is 6-19 for the season.