As we first told you on Newscenter 16 at 11 on Thursday night, Frank Amato is the new Interim head football coach at John Adams High School.

Amato officially accepted the position on Friday. He will coach the entire 2009 season.

The decision is somewhat a compromise to controversy over the last few days.

"I'm happy we can get started now and go full steam ahead," Amato said in a sitdown interview with Newscenter 16.

Amato was the offensive coordinator at Adams a year ago and has coaching experience at the high school, college and pro level. He was head coach for St. Joe when they won the state championship in 1995. He's also coached at Northridge and most recently at SB Washington.

He was selected by a committee of assistant coaches, parents and even South Bend Superintendent Jim Kapsa. But Kapsa says there were issues.

"It was the process itself from the very beginning and after it was posted, the review of candidates, all the way to the end," Kapsa explained without going into detail.

Sources tell Newscenter 16 the problem for the school board was that four of the nine applications were thrown out before they were even shown to the full search committee.

Other sources, however, indicate there was a specific reason for that. The applicants that were thrown out were simply not qualified.

Rather than starting the process completely over, Kapsa offered Amato the position on an interim basis through the 2009 season. By doing this, the school board will not have to vote to approve the selection.

Kapsa's decision came a day after school board member Roger Parent expressed his frustrations over this matter to the public. He says he wasn't getting anywhere with the board.

Amato is happy the situation now has some resolution.

"It's been rough but not as rough as it has been for the kids for the last few weeks," Amato explained.

Amato is the program's third head coach in the last year. Elmer Britton resigned just before the 2008 season began. Peter Rausch took over on an interim basis, was named the full-time head coach, then removed.

Amato doesn't think having the interim title will be a problem for him.

"It's our responsibility to do something between now and November so that adjective before head coach doesn't exist anymore," Amato said with a smile.

"It doesn't change how I'm going to approach things or my attitude."

Amato feels it won't be a problem for his players either. He met with some of them before homeroom on Friday. Amato is also a teacher at Adams.

"This is not about me, this is about the team. I promised the players I would bring stability, honesty and accountability and that is not going to change."

Amato believes the kids that were at the varsity level a year ago understand that philosophy because Amato was their assistant coach in 2008.

"They know where I'm coming from and understand the commitment I have toward them, the school, the program and to the John Adams community."

As for Kapsa, he wants better language created about how the process should work.

"What we want to do is put something together on paper, get agreement from the board so this is all done the same way at all the high schools in the future," Kapsa said.

South Bend still has one school, Riley, without a head football coach.