Springdale High School baseball coach enters batterer's intervention program

Springdale High School baseball coach Brett Burger on Monday agreed in court to enter a batterer’s intervention program in exchange for dismissal of criminal charges connected to an April incident involving a woman.

At a preliminary hearing before Harmar District Judge David Sosovicka, Burger’s attorney David Chontos said Burger has agreed to attend a six-month batterer’s intervention program. As part of the agreement, once Burger completes the six-month program, he will enter a plea of summary harassment, and charges of strangulation and simple assault will be dismissed.

Burger did not coach the baseball team for Springdale after he was charged April 18 with assaulting a woman, according to a criminal complaint filed with Sosovicka. Connor McKeel coached the team in Burger’s absence, and the Dynamos concluded the 2021 regular season with a 1-12 overall record.

“The criminal justice system is a reactive system, and what they have here is a system of classes designed to give people the education necessary so they don’t repeat the behavior in the future,” said Chontos. “Mr. Burger is an intelligent young man, and he’s going to go at those classes with 100% vigor, and he will gain the knowledge to not engage in that behavior in the future. I’m 100% confident of that.”

Burger did not speak at the hearing.

Allegheny Valley School District Superintendent Patrick Graczyk did not respond to a request for comment. Graczyk had confirmed earlier this month that the district is investigating the incident.

After the incident was reported, Graczyk issued a statement: “Once our investigation is complete, we will determine if any action is necessary.”

On April 18, Springdale police Officer Fred Hockeberry said he responded to a call at a home where a woman said she and Burger were arguing and he “punched and strangled her.”

Burger, at the time, told police there was an argument but denied any punching or choking took place.

Hockenberry said the woman told him she did not need medical treatment.

Burger is a Springdale High School graduate and was hired to coach the Dynamos baseball team in 2017. He coached the junior high and junior varsity teams at Fox Chapel Area High School for six years before coaching at Highlands High School in Harrison for one season.