Newark Memorial High School is releasing all 45 of its sports coaches by the end of the school year.
45 coaches at the school were told last month they will be released by the end of the school year, including a swim coach who’s been at the school more than 30 years. And while the district says they can reapply for their old jobs, it remains uncertain how many will.
Whether they coached Basketball soccer or any other sport, all of the coaches at Newark Memorial High School are out of a job at the end of their season, including Gordon Crosby, who coached swimming and water polo at the school for more than 30 years.
He says he was stunned he was released, and he’s worried about his student athletes.
“I can’t help think about the negative impact on athletics in general when there are question marks and no consistency in a program then programs fail,” Crosby said.
In a statement sent to NBC Bay Area, Newark Unified School District’s Superintendent Tracey Vackar said:
“Newark Unified School District is strengthening its coaching hiring practices to ensure the safety and well being of students.
Releasing coaches at the end of each season allows the District to complete required vetting, background clearances, and mandatory trainings so students are supported by properly qualified adults.”
Many who support the school’s teams say the district could have updated its policies without indiscriminately releasing all the coaches.
“They are going above and beyond to create opportunities for kids to put their roles in jeopardy made no sense to me,” said Filip Nowak, with the Newark Memorial High Cross Country Alumni Association.
The district says all the coaches can reapply for their old jobs.
“I had a hard time saying I wanted to continue,” Crosby said.
He says he eventually reapplied for his old coaching job, but he’s not convinced others will do the same.
“Will some coaches say ‘Enough is enough, I’m tired of being jerked around’? I think it’s hard not to think that way after the way it’s all been handled,” Crosby said.
