SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — Parents, friends and former and current players on Tuesday made impassioned pleas of support for a South Tahoe baseball coach who was apparently suspended from his position.

More than a dozen people wrote letters, spoke in-person and on Zoom in support of South Tahoe High School baseball coach Starbuck Teevan during public comment at a Lake Tahoe Unified School District board meeting.

Teevan, who has coached the Vikings since 2011, was not with the team on Friday or Saturday for the end-of-season West League tournament in Sparks. The Vikings were the tournament’s top seed after enjoying the best regular season in Teevan’s tenure and went on to claim the championship.

The district would not confirm to the Tribune whether or not Teevan was suspended. A district spokesperson said that it cannot comment on confidential matters, and that if a coach wasn’t able to be at a game “then the assistant coach and/or school administrator can coach and supervise the students at an away game.”

Since the apparent suspension happened on Friday, Tuesday’s meeting was the first chance for parents and players, past and present, to show public support for the longtime coach and vent to the board.

Some speakers broke down into tears when reflecting on the impact Teevan has had on their lives.

The lone senior on this year’s team, Miles Hamberg, told the board that he spent a lot of time on the bench and that Teevan taught him the value of hard work. He also spoke about playing in the tournament without Teevan.

“Regarding our tournament, even though we won the championship, our team was not whole without him,” he said.

After the public comment period at the beginning of the meeting, Board President Larry Reilly told the crowd that filled the board room that “we ask that the superintendent look into your concerns.”