Lenoir City Coach

[LCityplayer]

I have heard that Joe Lee has stepped down at Lenoir City. Is this true?

[downtown247]

I can assure you that if he stepped down it was not because he wanted to. I have been hearing that Coach Lee was going to be fired for about a week now. I think this entire situation is flat out pathetic. The administration at LCHS has no character if this is true. Coach Lee has given everything for this community. He has served as a teacher and coach for more than 30 years. It seems to me that some loyalty should be shown to Coach Lee for his many years of tireless, dedicated service to the unappreciative people of Lenoir City. The parents that Coach Lee has to endure truly believe that they should win championships at LC. This is a difficult thing to accomplish when Farragut, Maryville, and Bearden (among others) have significantly better talent each year. Those are the teams in their district. When you add Oak Ridge and Powell into the regional mix you are looking at an LC team that isn't even top 5 as far as talent is concerned. However, I can say for certain that Coach Lee is a top level coach. The parents and members of the administration at LCHS should be ashamed of themselves for the way they have treated Coach Lee. Good luck LC on finding a coach that will put up with your garbage!

[knoxbball88]

I have heard that Joe Lee has stepped down at Lenoir City. Is this true?

 

Its true and my source says they are going to offer the Farragut Boys Assistant coach a principal/admin type job and the head girls position

[bballfan32178]

had there bball banquet last night. he told the team he was not coming back. heard that 2 or 3 parents had it in 4 him all year and got there wish. we all know who they are!

[Frogman]

What can you say, people have been trying to get Coach Lee fired for years and nobody could do it except about 5 sets of parents. If they can do that what do you think is going to happen now? They will hand pick the next coach that comes in. I hope he or she is ready to come into the fire pit. These are the biggest bunch of ******** I have ever seen!! The new coach better have ***** the size of mountains to take over this team not team of high school girls but team of parents!! Good Luck Dummie!!!

[EvenIf]

I wish the girls the best of luck!! I hope that you get a coach that will do what is BEST for the team not parents. I hope you get a coach that will teach you someting not just do 1 million drills everyday, a coach that will lift you up and not only talk about what you did wrong, a coach that has faith in you, a coach that knows that your a student first, a coach that don`t play only his favorites.

[Frogman]

You are funny because you have to remember who you are talking about LENOIR CITY!!!

[blackhawkdown]

LCHS has lost a very good coach but fortunately they have not lost him as a teacher. A very good man who has the respect of many. Disappointed LCHS administration didn't step up for Coach Lee. Coach Millsaps must have forgotten what it is like to be a coach. A very good coach in his day at Loudon, but hopefully not naive enough to think everyone supported him during his tenure. Coach Lee will move on and enjoy life. Best wishes to a "great" man.

[downtown247]

I wish the girls the best of luck!! I hope that you get a coach that will do what is BEST for the team not parents. I hope you get a coach that will teach you someting not just do 1 million drills everyday, a coach that will lift you up and not only talk about what you did wrong, a coach that has faith in you, a coach that knows that your a student first, a coach that don`t play only his favorites.

 

The 1 million drills you speak of are important for skill development which in essence when a coach is developing a player's skills he or she is teaching that player something. Also a coach has to be able to tell a player what they are doing wrong. If the coach cannot do that because the player is not mentally tough enough to handle it then the player should play rec ball instead. I am afraid that we are creating a sports culture in which kids can do no wrong and coaches are simply supposed to endure the thoughtless mistakes without correcting them for fear of hurting their feelings. Coach Lee always expected his players to be students first. However, this does not mean more playing time for being an honor student (no decent coach does that). I've never known Coach Lee to play "favorites". The girls he put on the floor were there because they were the most talented. If that bothers you then clearly your little princess is not quite as talented as you think she is.

[easttnbball11]

Joe Lee has resigned and so has Jill Pruden, a combined 60+ years of coaching!

 

Savor this moment because you will never have coaches with that much longevity again. AAU is too important, parents are too powerful, and principals are too weak.

 

advice to LC "Be careful what you ask for because you just might get it"

[screamindemon]

This is typical Lenoir City garbage. I am still not sure why the majority of parents that obviously did not have a probelm with Coach Lee did not threaten to take their kids somewhere else in order to keep him. I still cannot believe that LC parents live in oblivion about their possibilities to win. News Flash: You Never Will!!! You had a division I Boy's BBall player this year and did not get out of the Region. I guess that was the coach's fault as well. I have listened to people talk about the ignorance that comes from Lenoir City, and now this proves those points! Who do these people think they will get? It will be some no name coach, from some small school, who is too stupid to know that LC is an athletic vacuum. Coaches beware: if you go to LC, you will ruin your resume and your career. I don't care who you are. Maybe if they try hard enough, they can get Pat Summit to come down. If LC is as talented as all these parents say they are, then surely Coach Summit would know that it would be a great opportunity! This is a sad day in not only LC and in girl's bball, but a sad day in high school athletics all together. You all have gotten rid of someone who did wonders with the small amount of ability he was dealt. Good luck to the moron that takes that job over! Maybe you can get Windel to move over to girls! Good luck Coach Lee, you did it the right way, and that is all that matters now!!!!

[ldcoach]

I can only echo some of the comments posted regarding the man that LC has chosen to remove. I have seen him work tirelessly putting on summer camps not only to improve his team, but to raise funds for the promotion of his program. He has established long-standing relationships with other coaches, players, and even some officials. He spoke his mind when he felt things needed to be said, whether the target was TSSAA, parents, officials, his administration, or his own team. He has remained true to his core beliefs and to his philosophy of basketball. We are in a period when many of the key characteristics that were formerly valued in a coach seem to make little difference. It is apparent to an outsider that Coach Lee either didn't stroke the right back, play the right people, or bend to the right train of thought. As has already been posed, he simply sought to do the right thing for his team and his players. For a high school coach, I can think of little that can be stated that could be a higher compliment to a coach. It is indeed sad when disgruntled followers of the program can instigate the retirement of such a coach with seemingly little support from his own administration. Joe, I know you're going to enjoy your free time for the first summer in 37 years. Sit back, forget the hot gyms, the nagging nay-sayers and enjoy a cool drink, all the time knowing YOU DID IT THE RIGHT WAY! I'll see you down the road.