The Bryan School Board has adopted a policy in writing regarding a purpose of athletics in Section 2430.03 of their Athletics Handbook, which reads in part: “We believe that a positive learning environment can exist only where there is a free and open exchange of ideas; this exchange must be predicated on a mutual respect and understanding between the learner and the teacher – a respect based on the dignity and worth of each individual.”
The School Board also adopted goals for their athletic programs: The goals policy states, in all caps, “CREATE A POSITIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS IN ATHLETICS…”
The Board further adopted a Coaches policy. The Coaches policy includes the requirement to have “Head varsity coaches who are responsible to the school and community to see that… Athletics are enjoyable and challenging for the participants.”
The undersigned believe that the head coach of the BHS Boys Basketball program is failing to follow the letter and spirit of this policy, has failed to follow this policy, and has not created and maintained a positive learning environment for the boys within the program. His actions show a fundamental lack of respect for the worth and dignity of the individual players and has fostered a program that is neither enjoyable nor beneficial for its players.
Players are now facing another season of a program that is negative in tone and treatment of its players, does not respect their contributions and efforts, and does not teach and develop the game of basketball as directed by the Bryan School Board in its Athletics Handbook. In short, they have not been able to participate in an inclusive program welcoming to all student athletes and a positive learning experience for all participants.
There are numerous former players who are direct witnesses to this conduct, who have lived it for multiple seasons, and have signed this petition in support of the current and future players who continue to have negative experiences. These former and current players can speak directly to what has been occurring during practices and games. It is from their experiences that we believe that the time has come to make a change to the leadership of the program.
The undersigned support this cause for the following reasons:
- The head coach has failed to develop players and be a positive role model for our BHS student athletes.
- The program has a negative outlook in games and practices.
- The head coach bullies, intimidates, and humiliates players during practices.
- Players are fearful of the head coach, scared to make mistakes due to the ridicule and verbal abuse he uses daily.
- He does not respect the players as young men and offers no positive guidance.
- The head coach has shown he cannot control his temper in both practices and games.
- Staff members who challenge him are disregarded or ignored
- His use of curse words is unprofessional and unacceptable in any environment
- The head coach believes players who quit are “soft” and/or lack “toughness”.
Going to the coach with questions or concerns subjects players to abuse and retaliation. Several varsity players and parents have complained to the administration about the problems within the program. No changes or improvements have occurred, and the situation continues to deteriorate for the players.
As a direct result of this conduct, high school players are quitting basketball in high numbers. Current players dread dealing with the next season. A clear majority of current and former player have lost their love and passion for the game. In addition, the parents of the players have had to watch their sons leave and return from practices and games without joy or excitement and have watched their sons lose their love of the game.
The undersigned believe their only recourse is to petition the school board to address the problems within the program, and they ask the board to quickly and fully investigate the allegations made in the petition, to speak with the numerous former players, current players, past and current coaches, as well as the past and current players’ parents to determine the truth of this matter, and further to act upon the evidence they find and make the necessary changes to restore a positive learning experience to the program.
23 Comments
My son is a direct result of this. He loves the game of basketball and has played since Kindergarten. He quit his JR year because of the negativity that was shown with the head coach. It’s unfortunate that we have a lot of athletes that are in the past and present that are choosing to not play simply because of a coach.
I see this at a 7th grade level. Be be successful, a culture needs to be instilled. Development of student athletes needs work. This has to be recognized by Board members, athletic directors and coaches. A change if culture for basketball does not match the football or baseball programs. We should not be at a disadvantage especially in a community, district and representation the size of Bryan.
As a parent of Bryan basketball players, I am tired of having them leave for practice and return without any joy or sense of accomplishment. I am saddened that the end of the season comes as a relief and that I can have my boys back as smiling and happy kids, after months of kids who are miserable most of the time. I am tired of the culture of negativity. My boys should love basketball, but instead they endure it. Bryan kids deserve a program that is teaching both positive basketball and positive life experiences. If now is not the time to act, when is the right time?
I am tired of the culture that it is getting built in the Bryan Basketball program. As a former player, I want the best for the players behind me and want them to have a greater experience than what myself, and my fellow three seniors went through. We want change.
As the daughter of a high school coach, who 20 years after his death still have former players talk to me about his positive affect on their lives, I am sad and embarrassed by this coach, sad for the basketball players and embarrassed for the Bryan Schools for not monitoring and dealing with this situation long ago. This coach does not represent himself, his staff, the basketball program or the school district well.
When I was a player under this coach, I had a unique perspective as I was sidelined due to injuries for most of my high school basketball career. This perspective allowed me to have a different experience compared to the other players. Instead of being directly affected by this coach's selfishness and lack of respect towards the players and assistant coaches, I was able to see it unfold throughout my three years under him. What I saw was not only my teammates' love for the great game of basketball gutted straight from them, but I also saw this coach restrict the rest of his coaching staff from being able to instruct my teammates the way they think is right. They had to adjust, not only their coaching styles, but also the way they express their coaching beliefs in order to please their head coach. As I watched the assistant coaches doing their jobs, I could see it in their body language that they either disagree with the head coach or vice versa, and this tells me that the leader of the coaching staff is lacking the communication, or for better accuracy the OPENNESS to communicate, with his staff and players. This lack of open communication creates confusion within the whole program, sets a terrible example for what the standard should be, and this creates an unhealthy environment for everyone who is involved in it. This is just one small detail of a lot more that I think is important and points out why this coach is inadequate to be the leader of the Bryan basketball program.
Coach Fisher is cruel to his student athletes. He is one of the most self-centered coaches that I have observed both as a student and college athlete as well as a parent. His inability to see any perspective from the players point of view doesn’t seem to exist. Simply put, he is a bully who uses his coaching position to make his players feel inadequate and unable to ever meet his expectations.
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The Bryan School Board has adopted a policy in writing regarding a purpose of athletics in Section 2430.03 of their Athletics Handbook, which reads in part: “We believe that a positive learning environment can exist only where there is a free and open exchange of ideas; this exchange must be predicated on a mutual respect and understanding between the learner and the teacher – a respect based on the dignity and worth of each individual.”
The School Board also adopted goals for their athletic programs: The goals policy states, in all caps, “CREATE A POSITIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS IN ATHLETICS…”
The Board further adopted a Coaches policy. The Coaches policy includes the requirement to have “Head varsity coaches who are responsible to the school and community to see that… Athletics are enjoyable and challenging for the participants.”
The undersigned believe that the head coach of the BHS Boys Basketball program is failing to follow the letter and spirit of this policy, has failed to follow this policy, and has not created and maintained a positive learning environment for the boys within the program. His actions show a fundamental lack of respect for the worth and dignity of the individual players and has fostered a program that is neither enjoyable nor beneficial for its players.
Players are now facing another season of a program that is negative in tone and treatment of its players, does not respect their contributions and efforts, and does not teach and develop the game of basketball as directed by the Bryan School Board in its Athletics Handbook. In short, they have not been able to participate in an inclusive program welcoming to all student athletes and a positive learning experience for all participants.
There are numerous former players who are direct witnesses to this conduct, who have lived it for multiple seasons, and have signed this petition in support of the current and future players who continue to have negative experiences. These former and current players can speak directly to what has been occurring during practices and games. It is from their experiences that we believe that the time has come to make a change to the leadership of the program.
The undersigned support this cause for the following reasons:
- The head coach has failed to develop players and be a positive role model for our BHS student athletes.
- The program has a negative outlook in games and practices.
- The head coach bullies, intimidates, and humiliates players during practices.
- Players are fearful of the head coach, scared to make mistakes due to the ridicule and verbal abuse he uses daily.
- He does not respect the players as young men and offers no positive guidance.
- The head coach has shown he cannot control his temper in both practices and games.
- Staff members who challenge him are disregarded or ignored
- His use of curse words is unprofessional and unacceptable in any environment
- The head coach believes players who quit are “soft” and/or lack “toughness”.
Going to the coach with questions or concerns subjects players to abuse and retaliation. Several varsity players and parents have complained to the administration about the problems within the program. No changes or improvements have occurred, and the situation continues to deteriorate for the players.
As a direct result of this conduct, high school players are quitting basketball in high numbers. Current players dread dealing with the next season. A clear majority of current and former player have lost their love and passion for the game. In addition, the parents of the players have had to watch their sons leave and return from practices and games without joy or excitement and have watched their sons lose their love of the game.
The undersigned believe their only recourse is to petition the school board to address the problems within the program, and they ask the board to quickly and fully investigate the allegations made in the petition, to speak with the numerous former players, current players, past and current coaches, as well as the past and current players’ parents to determine the truth of this matter, and further to act upon the evidence they find and make the necessary changes to restore a positive learning experience to the program.
23 Comments
It's become extremely frustrating watching these kids dreading their sport and losing any interest by mid-season. This is not only a basketball problem. This is a direct reflection on the administration and its inability, or unwillingness, to address real issues and obvious problems suggested by many parents and kids, year after year after year.
My son is a direct result of this. He loves the game of basketball and has played since Kindergarten. He quit his JR year because of the negativity that was shown with the head coach. It’s unfortunate that we have a lot of athletes that are in the past and present that are choosing to not play simply because of a coach.
I see this at a 7th grade level. Be be successful, a culture needs to be instilled. Development of student athletes needs work. This has to be recognized by Board members, athletic directors and coaches. A change if culture for basketball does not match the football or baseball programs. We should not be at a disadvantage especially in a community, district and representation the size of Bryan.
As a parent of Bryan basketball players, I am tired of having them leave for practice and return without any joy or sense of accomplishment. I am saddened that the end of the season comes as a relief and that I can have my boys back as smiling and happy kids, after months of kids who are miserable most of the time. I am tired of the culture of negativity. My boys should love basketball, but instead they endure it. Bryan kids deserve a program that is teaching both positive basketball and positive life experiences. If now is not the time to act, when is the right time?
I am tired of the culture that it is getting built in the Bryan Basketball program. As a former player, I want the best for the players behind me and want them to have a greater experience than what myself, and my fellow three seniors went through. We want change.
As the daughter of a high school coach, who 20 years after his death still have former players talk to me about his positive affect on their lives, I am sad and embarrassed by this coach, sad for the basketball players and embarrassed for the Bryan Schools for not monitoring and dealing with this situation long ago. This coach does not represent himself, his staff, the basketball program or the school district well.
When I was a player under this coach, I had a unique perspective as I was sidelined due to injuries for most of my high school basketball career. This perspective allowed me to have a different experience compared to the other players. Instead of being directly affected by this coach's selfishness and lack of respect towards the players and assistant coaches, I was able to see it unfold throughout my three years under him. What I saw was not only my teammates' love for the great game of basketball gutted straight from them, but I also saw this coach restrict the rest of his coaching staff from being able to instruct my teammates the way they think is right. They had to adjust, not only their coaching styles, but also the way they express their coaching beliefs in order to please their head coach. As I watched the assistant coaches doing their jobs, I could see it in their body language that they either disagree with the head coach or vice versa, and this tells me that the leader of the coaching staff is lacking the communication, or for better accuracy the OPENNESS to communicate, with his staff and players. This lack of open communication creates confusion within the whole program, sets a terrible example for what the standard should be, and this creates an unhealthy environment for everyone who is involved in it. This is just one small detail of a lot more that I think is important and points out why this coach is inadequate to be the leader of the Bryan basketball program.
Coach Fisher is cruel to his student athletes. He is one of the most self-centered coaches that I have observed both as a student and college athlete as well as a parent. His inability to see any perspective from the players point of view doesn’t seem to exist. Simply put, he is a bully who uses his coaching position to make his players feel inadequate and unable to ever meet his expectations.
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It's become extremely frustrating watching these kids dreading their sport and losing any interest by mid-season. This is not only a basketball problem. This is a direct reflection on the administration and its inability, or unwillingness, to address real issues and obvious problems suggested by many parents and kids, year after year after year.