The Cosmos football team, autumn 2014
http://www.wcax.com/story/28535452/springfield-football-players-rally-for-reinstatement-of-fired-coach
Springfield football players rally for reinstatement of fired coach
Posted: Mar 16, 2015 10:20 PM EDT
Updated: Mar 17, 2015 10:51 AM EDT
By Alex Apple
SPRINGFIELD, Vt. -
Springfield High School football coach Gary Harris denies anything was even wrong with the text messages he sent. Monday night the subject of one of the text messages in question was joined by dozens of others in telling the school board they want their coach back.
"Sacks between the both of us I'd say about four per game," said Cedric Gray, senior football player.
Gray had a great senior season on the football field playing both offense and defense.
He credits his first-year coach Gary Harris for bringing out the best in him.
"He gave us so much hope and so much belief that we can do anything as a team," said Gray.
That belief led to two wins after three straight winless seasons. But Gray says more important than the wins are the lessons he learned from his coach.
"Basically he told me not to give up on myself. I can be on my hardest day and you got to tell yourself it's going to get better," said Gray.
That football coach is now in the middle of a hot debate in Springfield centering on text messages Harris sent admittedly sent to assistant coach Jim Fog last June.
In January, Fog's contract was not renewed. That's when the district's director of curriculum says Fog shared old text messages from Harris with administrators. Superintendent Zach McLaughlin claims they were racially insensitive and mentioned some players on the football team. McLaughlin's office says he reviewed the messages and fired Harris because of them. Neither the superintendent nor Coach Harris would share exactly what the texts said.
"I told anyone in here if there is a problem with what I said on that text, that you don't think it's appropriate, please come to me and I will leave today. One person haven't had that done yet," said Harris.
Harris says his messages are misunderstood.
"I've been called a racist, homophobic and a bully-- three of the main things I stand against," said Harris.
The superintendent and school board declined to comment on the personnel decision, but dozens came to the school board meeting Monday to ask for their coach back.
"I really hope that you like make the decision to keep him because I think that Springfield really does need him," said Hali Bailey.
Also backing up his coach was the subject of one of the text messages in question, Cedric Gray, one of the few minority students on the team.
"I can say that he changed my life personally in more ways than one in a matter of weeks of him being here. Honestly, I don't even think I would have played football if it wasn't for him," said Gray.
Roughly 100 people attended Monday's meeting and none of them spoke in support of firing Harris.
Superintendent McLaughlin stood behind his decision and declined to tell the crowd if he would change his mind.
When asked if he thought about changing his mind he said, "I'm not going to discuss a personnel decision with the community, just like any other personnel decisions. I hear what you're saying."
Next year, Gray is headed into the Navy. He says he simply wants to give back to a coach who gave so much to him.
Several members of the crowd asked McLaughlin if he would reconsider his decision and potentially reinstate Harris. He reiterated he would not comment on personnel decisions.
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