Officials from Elmhurst School District 205 have no plans to reinstate the veteran coach of the York High School varsity girls’ swim team despite an outcry from parents and swimmers who say he led teams to success and do not want to see him ousted from his coaching job.

Earlier this month, the York Athletic Department announced its intention to seek a new head girls swim coach to replace Dave Davis, who has been a swimming coach for more than 20 years at York High School.

Melea Smith, a spokesperson for District 205, said the decision was made by York administration and that Superintendent Dave Pruneau has no plan to reverse it.

“The district backs the decision of its York administrators. Mr. Pruneau has already stated that he will not reverse that decision,” Smith wrote in an email Wednesday.

She was not specific about why York administrators relieved Davis of his duties as swim coach.

“This was not a District 205 decision; it was a decision made by York administration, which is responsible for determining who will be filling stipended positions at the high school. Such positions are one-year assignments, which are renewable or not, based on a variety of factors,” she wrote.

Al Brinkmeier, a parent of a York swimmer, said he would like to understand the administration’s decision.

“They said Elmhurst swimming needs a new face,” he said. “We’re trying to get an understanding of what that means.”

At the request of people upset by the removal of Davis, Pruneau has agreed to meet with students and parents at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the District 205 Center, 162 S. York Road.

According to Smith, the purpose of tonight’s meeting is to begin a district-wide conversation about the athletic programs in both middle school and high school, with an eventual goal of answering several questions including what is the overall coaching philosophy, what outcomes are sought for student athletes and what role parents play in the process.

Brinkmeier said he hopes the meeting will give direction to the swimming program at York.

“The goal of this meeting is to have a positive dialogue with the superintendent – between him and the swim community – to talk about these recent events that have impacted Elmhurst swimming and to discuss, in a productive way, the future trajectory of Elmhurst swimming,” he said.

Parent Barbara Longeran said that Davis started coaching her then-7-year-old daughter two years ago through the swimming club, Elmhurst Swim Team, where Davis is head coach. She said he helped boost her confidence.

“Never did he speak of becoming a great swimmer or winning – those cannot be guaranteed,” she wrote in an email. “But he was certain of what he could teach – responsibility and independence. He made quite a first and lasting impression, and my daughter is devastated that she may not continue to learn from Coach Davis when she reaches York High School.”

Brinkmeier, who is president of the Elmhurst Swim Club, said Davis has had a significant impact on swimming in Illinois.

“Almost 60 of his swimmers through his Elmhurst swimming program have coached or are coaching swimming in Northern Illinois, the Chicagoland area or somewhere in Illinois,” he said.

Brinkmeier said he still cannot understand why Davis was removed.

“Especially coming off the last two years,” he said. “The girl swimmers had two of their best seasons ever.”

Davis did not return calls for comment Wednesday.