Coach sidelined for foul language

A local football coach is sidelined for bad language and we’re learning he may be connected to a criminal case where a Palm Springs Power baseball player is accused of raping an unconscious woman.

Here’s what we know: The sexual assault in question happened at a party, at a home we’ve learned belongs to Tim Kabeary. We’ve also learned he’s been removed from coaching football at Palm Desert High School. He’s still teaching and the Desert Sands Unified School District says he’s exactly where they want him, in the classroom.

“Winning is not nearly as important as the coach being a positive role model in his actions and language and deeds,” said Assistant Superintendent Sherry Johnstone.

The district sidelined Tim Kabeary but wouldn’t tell us specifically why. But officials said it may not be permanent.

“Coach Kabeary is no longer coaching football for this season, that doesn’t mean he won’t be back, he could quite possibly be back caching next year. He is an outstanding coach,” said Johnstone.

We confirmed from a close friend of Kabeary, that he used bad language on the sidelines and that’s why he got fired from coaching. He does continue to teach.

“We would never ever leave anyone in an assignment that compromises the safety of our kids, that being said we expect our coaches to be role models,” said Johnstone.

However, we found this role model owns the home where a woman accused a Former Palm Springs Power baseball player of raping her in June. Trent Pell, 21, faces charges for sexually assaulting the underage woman during a house party. Court documents say the woman became unconscious after drinking all afternoon.

We confirmed through public records the house where the party occurred belongs to Tim Kabeary. We don’t know if Kabeary attended the party.

“If the district felt in anyway that the students were unsafe we would pull an employee from their assignment and put them on and administrative leave pending police investigation, that is not the case here. We have no reason to believe that kids are in anyway unsafe or at risk by having Tim Kabeary as their teacher. In fact, we are happy they have him as their teacher and he’s been a fine teacher for 27 years,” said Johnstone.

Kabeary’s Facebook page echoes that. We found posting after posting from parents and former students who wrote how much of a positive impact he’s had on their lives as well as people urging the district to re-instate Kabeary as football coach.