Assistant field hockey coach John Kovach was arrested Monday for possession of child pornography, according to a Baltimore County Police report.
Kovach, 52, engaged in conversation with a retired detective from Los Angeles who posed as a 13-year-old girl in late February. This sparked an investigation of Kovach, which included a search of his home that resulted in the discovery of multiple samples of child pornography as well as a handgun that was accessible to a minor who lived at the residence.
Kovach had served as an assistant coach at Towson for six seasons and has coached youth programs for many years. He ran the highly regarded Mater Amoris Ocelots club team where he coached with Tigers’ star Christina Boarman when she was in high school. His profile has been removed from the Towson Tigers Web site.
Kovach began the Ocelots under-12 co-ed field hockey program, which operates out of the Mater Amoris Montessori School in Ashton, Md., 10 years ago. Graduates of the program have gone on to play for schools such as Duke, Northwestern and Stanford.
Kovach also spent time as an assistant coach for the University of Virginia during one of the team’s most successful runs. The Cavaliers reached the Final Four four times with Kovach aboard, and achieved their first ever No. 1 ranking in the national polls.
The police report stated that Kovach was arrested at Mater Amoris, and that he admitted afterward to his preference of viewing young girls between the ages of 9 and 13. He has apparently used several AOL Instant Messenger screen names in the past in attempt to converse with young girls on the Internet.
With Kovach on staff, the Tigers made their second straight conference tournament appearance this fall losing to Old Dominion, 5-1, in the first round.
Kovach is being held at the Baltimore County Detention Center on $250,000 bond.
Assistant field hockey coach John Kovach arrested
Possession of child pornography
Published: Monday, March 16, 2009
Updated: Monday, March 16, 2009
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If anything is obvious here, it's that the parents hate him as much as the kids likely do. And rightfully so. Just don't go jumping to conclusions.
"If it is only a Towson site than it should not be on the www for comments. Maybe Towson folks should have passwords so the general populace is not on this site.
Parents should watch what their children see on the web. The news article is more damaging than our thoughts.
Sorry...but...we are here. "
Hey, guys. As a longtime friend Towerlight staff members, let me clarify something for you: The Towerlight is NOT, I repeat: NOT, a Towson University-affiliated newspaper. They are a completely non-profit organization and have control of the entire publication. This is not a public relations machine for TU. This is a legitimate twice-weekly newspaper.
The Sun or the Post would allow these same kind of comments. Don't complain because it's published by TU students. They aren't children, and neither is the majority of their readership.
Other newspapers can be seen and commented on by the general populace. Don't shoot the messenger when its your own arguments and concerns that are displaying the sharp words.
Parents should watch what their children see on the web. The news article is more damaging than our thoughts.
Sorry...but...we are here.
John could have, should have been removed. He has now been fired, late but he is gone now.
Most parents probably did not know about the DUI since the parents that did know gossiped amongst themselves. Sure some may have told the school, but when the school didn't act, the parents did nothing. By not calling the authorities, they were complicit in endangering children as well. If my child had been hurt, believe me I would have been mad at the school and anyone that had the info and did not share it with me.
Charlotte does not have anymore children to show special attention to (that seems to be the gripe, that he was shielded because he was Charlotte's son) - I don't expect an employee to be "protected" again. That bunch of women left at the school better toe the line or they are out of there. Let's fingerprint them too.
Current parents received a letter in the mail yesterday. A meeting has been set up for parents to meet with Charlotte and staff to discuss John's arrest.
The only reason he was probably left at the school after the affair was to continue the field hockey program. If we didn't have field hockey, my guess is that he would not have been there.I get the feeling that some people have an axe to grind about stuff that happened a long time ago. I think the stuff that has happened in the last 10 days in what we should be dealing with. The fact that Charlotte may not have listened to past complaints because he was her son has been BEAT TO DEATH. We get it.
Cathy Lindberg-Tang addresses the issue that the letter still has not gone out to parents. Over a week after the arrest was made on the school grounds? Current parents, in particular, should be furious. As small as the school population is, those parents deserved personal phone calls; instead, they are still waiting for an official announcement of what they heard on the news and read on the internet. Cathy directs them to where they can get form letters, but the school could and should have sent a letter immediately after the arrest telling parents the information they had to hear on the news. That could have then been followed up with more details and resources for assistance. The school needs to step up - ignoring the matter makes it appear that Charlotte wants to protect John by not putting information out there.
Marsha mentioned that the letter was being formulated.
Sad time for everyone.
Good police work. Pedophiles are like weeds. You get rid of some and then more pop up.
Jamie Perez and my daughter know the ins and outs of pedophiles. My older son was taken in 1984 by a crazy person. He was taken off my porch while eating a sandwich. Fortunately he was discovered...Casey and Jamie went to sleep with a poster of John Walsh hanging above their headboard. I made them watch America's Most Wanted. I can't believe that I was dropping them off at school in the midst of one.
For the parent who suggested castration- courts will sometimes recommend "chemical castration" wherein testosterone inhibiters are administered with a lace of estrogen. Johns Hopkins studies show that only a reduction of the propensity for children occurs. The "syndrome" is not curable.
Cathy Lindberg-Tang, Esquire
Im sure your closet is full of skeletons and if you or a family member got a DUI or had an affair, I am sure you would do everything in your power to counsel that person, get them professional help, and I know you would not want to lose your job over an affair or a DUI. So before you cast stones at everyone else, you best look in the mirror and ask your self, if I had a DUI or a mistress, what would I do. This case is about the children, you have no idea what steps were taken to help John with alcohol or infidelity. The pornography is unacceptable and should not be tolerated, but I guarantee you know someone who has had a DUI, an affair, has had no inapproiate contact with childred, and you support them fully.