A high school teacher says he was completely caught off guard when he found out he would not be named head baseball coach.
The school board told him parents had complained about him, possibly because of his discipline style.
Bob Richie has been a teacher at Hempfield High School for 31 years, and has served as the assistant baseball coach.
Tuesday night, the board named a new head coach, and much to Richie's surprise, it wasn't him.
After three decades as a teacher at Hempfield High School and assistant coach for the baseball team, he thought he was the only choice to replace the retiring head coach.
But last week, school leaders sat him down and told him the opposite. "Yes, i was the number one candidate. I was picked by the committee but i wasn't going to get the job because some parents had called and said they didn't want me as coach."
Richie says he was never told what the allegations parents made were, or the nature of them. "That's probably the most frustrating thing, that I've done something or done this or that or whatever. Or if id been head coach for years and done some things that were wrong, i could understand. But i never ever once stepped foot on a field as a head coach and obviously head coach makes the decision, this was my chance, and it's gone. I'll never get another chance again."
At the school board meeting Tuesday night, former coaches showed up to support him. One assumed the parents complaints were about Richie's disciplinary style. He's known for being tough on kids, but they said he was still right for the position.
The board stuck by their decision though, naming Jeremy Morrison the new head coach.
Richie has no choice but to accept that. And even though he disagrees with the board's process, he'll still root for the team, even as his time on the field sets. "Being coach that many years you can’t help but wish them the best, I just wish I could be a part of it."
The Assistant Superintendent told us they can not comment other than to confirm their decision, because it is a personnel matter.
The school board told him parents had complained about him, possibly because of his discipline style.
Bob Richie has been a teacher at Hempfield High School for 31 years, and has served as the assistant baseball coach.
Tuesday night, the board named a new head coach, and much to Richie's surprise, it wasn't him.
After three decades as a teacher at Hempfield High School and assistant coach for the baseball team, he thought he was the only choice to replace the retiring head coach.
But last week, school leaders sat him down and told him the opposite. "Yes, i was the number one candidate. I was picked by the committee but i wasn't going to get the job because some parents had called and said they didn't want me as coach."
Richie says he was never told what the allegations parents made were, or the nature of them. "That's probably the most frustrating thing, that I've done something or done this or that or whatever. Or if id been head coach for years and done some things that were wrong, i could understand. But i never ever once stepped foot on a field as a head coach and obviously head coach makes the decision, this was my chance, and it's gone. I'll never get another chance again."
At the school board meeting Tuesday night, former coaches showed up to support him. One assumed the parents complaints were about Richie's disciplinary style. He's known for being tough on kids, but they said he was still right for the position.
The board stuck by their decision though, naming Jeremy Morrison the new head coach.
Richie has no choice but to accept that. And even though he disagrees with the board's process, he'll still root for the team, even as his time on the field sets. "Being coach that many years you can’t help but wish them the best, I just wish I could be a part of it."
The Assistant Superintendent told us they can not comment other than to confirm their decision, because it is a personnel matter.
