Petition for Changes to BHS Boys Basketball Program

5 years ago Featured

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.

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.

We are very hesitant to ever criticize a coach. However, Coach Fisher’s treatment and behavior exhibited to the players was inexcusable. Drew came home after many practices and games very upset about the way Coach Fisher treated the players, the anger he exhibited (throwing things in the locker room), the language he used (frequently using the f-word), and humiliation he caused players in front of the entire team. We were embarrassed by Coach Fisher’s behavior at the games (as should the administration and School Board!) often throwing water bottles and his clipboard on the chairs and the ground in frustration. He makes Bryan City Schools and the Athletic Program look very bad when he behaves so inappropriately, and he is a bad example for the boys of how to handle frustration and defeat.

Former BHS basketball player

I’m so frustrated by this program. This program has been turned into a dictatorship. These kids have to play basketball under this toxic culture, and I think it is time for change.

Our grandson, Caleb Zuver, played for Fisher @BHS, and we watched in horror the verbal abuse he and his teammates suffered. We could not believe that a “coach” would use profanity on the court and such demeaning and bullying words in practice! He created an untenable situation for these young athletes: complain and face further abuse; so they tolerated it, and some lost their love for the game! Hoping this petition is the catalyst for positive change, finally! So proud of Caleb for hanging in there and STILL loving basketball, despite Fisher’s efforts to put out his fire!

As a previous cheer coach at BHS I had many opportunity to hear the disrespectful words spew from the varsity boys Basketball coach. I was appalled, disgusted and sad for those boys! As a spectator in the stands after my retirement from coaching, I am disgusted by his childlike temper tantrums displayed during games. I’m embarrassed for our kids on the court as well as our community. He is not a good representation of what BHS is all about! It absolutely breaks my heart to see his behavior and disrespect to his players during games. The reaction of the boys says it all. Heads are hung faces are drawn and ambition is completely thrown out the door. You can see them want to give up! It’s sad and heartbreaking to watch my nephew’s lose the passion and love for the game they have played their entire life. These boys need positivity and coaches to build them up NOT tear them down! Please! Please make a change! Give these kids a chance to love the game again!

After playing basketball in junior high, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue playing through high school or switch my winter sport to indoor track. After deciding to run indoor track, I went to inform Fisher that I would not be playing. He told me that playing basketball would be more beneficial to me than running indoor track because i would be working different muscle groups, which as a distance runner does not make any sense. After telling him that I felt like indoor track would be better for me, he proceeded to tell me that I just wanted the easy way out and that I was being a p****. He then proceeded to confront my track coaches and tell them that it was wrong for them to talk me into quitting basketball even though they had no influence on my decision. A few weeks later I had a few friends inform me that at practice, Mr. Fisher referred to me as a “cross country p****” and that I wasn’t tough enough to play basketball. At the beginning of my decision, I had no problem with Mr. Fisher. Contrary to popular belief, I didn’t quit because of the coach. However, I will never play basketball again because of Mr. Fisher’s response to my decision. Even though I never played under him, I truly believe that it is time to move on and get someone into the head coaching position that not only cares about the success of the team, but also the mental health of his players.

Basketball under him was the most negative and unfair situation I’ve ever been a part of. He puts himself on a pedestal and uses the head coach position to push people around. He is very close minded and would rather look good doing things his way over actually win basketball games. I want players in the future to be able to have the basketball experience I looked forward to but never got to have.

5 years ago Featured

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.

As a former player in the BHS boys basketball program I strongly agree that there is time for a change of leadership at the Varsity basketball level. I played multiple sports with multiple teams through my career as an athlete and never had the experience or feeling with any other coach then this one. All the sports and coaches I have been associated with have been challenging, hard and always competitive. There has been many times in my sports career that I have been humbled but never humiliated. There have been many instances that a coach and I have not agreed on something but they were always willing to talk things through and solve that problem and let my voice/opinion be heard. But unlike this instance there were many times I wanted to talk and let my voice be heard but instead it turned into everything being said by this person and not letting me talk and get what I was feeling off my chest. Then it would lead to grudges being held and never let go of causing tension between 2 people and had an effect on the whole team. Every coach I have played for throughout my many years as an athlete has always been a coach durning practices and games and outside of sports they have been a mentor or an inspiring adult to look up to. It’s sad when you can’t have a relationship with a former coach out of school like you would want because of grudges they hold due to performance in a game or conversations had that they wouldn’t let your voice be heard. I have always been a positive person trying to give everyone a fair chance and due to the exposure of this coach my view took a turn in the fast lane. I started to become negative and didn’t want to go to practice or games fearing I would mess up and that would be held over my head the rest of my career/ life because of the toxic environment I was apart of. Many of my close friends and teammates in multiple sports couldn’t share the fellowship of high school sports like they could of because they didn’t wanna be apart of this

5 years ago Featured

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.

It's needed changed for years!

Yes sir

Just not good, plays favorites

There is a toxic culture in the BHS basketball program. It comes directly from the leadership of the program and is supported by the athletic department leadership. I am a parent of two boys that no longer play. They no longer participate because it is not a healthy environment. The joy of the game was beaten out of their souls.

Fully support this. Have second-hand experience to the failures of the current basketball tenure at Bryan. In need of change.

5 years ago Featured

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?

Coaches are important role models for high schoolers. The administration has an obligation to view these matters as worthy of the time and effort to investigate.