whitwell

[Indian]

Coach Ware is a class act too, I don't blame her for wanting no part of it after this season, she probably just is doing it for a few weeks because she cares for the girls on the team. But, there's no evidence that a parent did it, it might have been a boyfriend, uncle, granddad or whoever, you would think a parent was responsible but that's not clear at all.

[10W40]

Coach Parker and family are fine. Apparently, someone attempted to burn their truck while it sat in their driveway this past weekend (they weren't even there). Luckily, they were too dumb to accomplish this, managing to just burn off the paint around the gas tank. Arson, by the way, is a felony in Tennessee -- even if you don't particularly succeed.

 

I've seen a lot of ugly coaching/parent situations, but I'll have to say this one takes the cake. I'm not sure what anyone hoped to gain, because it appears that everyone lost.

825530420[/snapback]

Thanks HCsports

[DelTavian]

There's lots of good people in Whitwell. Let's hope one of them steps up and turns in the pile of whale dung that did this. I would think they would want to so everyone in Whitwell doesn't get a bad name from this.

 

Del.

[Bill#49]

There's lots of good people in Whitwell. Let's hope one of them steps up and turns in the pile of whale dung that did this. I would think they would want to so everyone in Whitwell doesn't get a bad name from this.

 

Del.

825530677[/snapback]

 

Coach Parker is a fine man and coach and I wish him and his family all the best. He doesn't deserve to be treated in this fashion and the incident gives a good high school a very poor reputation for the actions of a few. Ms. Ware will do a find job the rest of the season but the problem will be getting someone to come in and coach at a school where they have to take out fire protection on their vehicle and maybe everything else as well.

 

Anyone who wants the job is going to pick up the phone and call Coach Parker in Jamestown before they even send in a resume'. I wonder what his recommendation will be?

[SeqValleyFan]

I agree bill it would be tough to get a coach there im sure

[coachc]

As a former coach at WHS, I am shocked at this act of violence. I wish Coach Parker and his family well. I hope the local police can step up to the plate and punish the guilty. HE IS A GOOD COACH AND FAMILY MAN. I am shocked.

 

God Bless,

 

Nick Chaykowsky

Head Coach Boys Basketball

Alexander High School

Douglasville, GA

 

 

Here is a copy of the article.

 

Times Free Press

 

Whitwell incident sickening

Stephen Hargis

 

The best part of covering high school sports is that it is competition in its purest form.

Most of the athletes will never play at the college level, and prep coaches certainly aren’t in it for the money. Even most of the parents just want to lend a hand to make sure their kids enjoy the brief time spent playing. And for that, I love getting to tell the stories about the positive side of sports.

But one thing I’ve learned in 14 years of covering area preps is not to be surprised by anything. Sports is a microcosm of society, so you have to learn to deal with the mischievous, the cheaters and the morally reprehensible, so there are times when I would rather not have to share a story.

One such case happened last weekend. Whether it was the product of disgruntled parents or frustrated fans or simply a random act of vandalism, it immediately left a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Several weeks ago, a small group of parents lobbied to have Danny Parker removed as the girls’ basketball coach at Whitwell High School. The accusation was that Parker, who has coached for 35 years — including the last 14 at Whitwell — had thrown a clipboard and basketballs at some players during a practice.

School principal Sydney Durham interviewed every player, as well as assistant coach Madeline Ware, and they each said no such incident happened. Durham dropped the matter.

Parker has been Whitwell’s athletic director the last four years and has also coached boys’ basketball, golf and softball.

After last Friday’s game, Parker and his wife Connie spent the weekend at their second home in Fentress County. When Parker returned to his house in Whitwell, he found the side of his 1995 Ford Ranger was black from an apparent arson attempt.

According to Parker, diesel fuel had been poured around the side of the truck and around the gas tank, but the flame never made it to the tank, which would have caused an explosion.

"The whole area around the gas tank is burned, and the gas cap was completely melted," Whitwell police chief Ronnie Davis said. "Whoever it was came close to blowing the truck up, and it’s a wonder they didn’t blow themselves up trying."

Parker couldn’t be sure, of course, that the incident was related to the complaints about his coaching, but he has not returned to the school. He made the immediate decision to gather some mementos and other things from the Whitwell house and go back to Fentress County.

"I decided right then that it wasn’t safe for us to stay there," said Parker, who has not officially retired but said he is considering it. "I pride myself in being somebody who doesn’t quit, but when you find that somebody has tried to burn your truck, Connie and I just fear for our safety."

Being a small community, it didn’t take long for word to spread. Durham said she has been visited by most of the school’s other coaches, fearful of their own well-being.

"I don’t blame any of them, and it’s going to make it incredibly tough to find someone that would want to come here to coach," Durham said.

"In my 11 years here, I’ve never had a single parent complain about him or his coaching style before. It made me very angry that anyone would go to that extent to ruin someone’s career, and their life. It made me ashamed to know it’s someone who lives here in this community, because this is where I have lived all my life."

It took some coaxing, but Ware has agreed to finish the season as the Lady Tigers’ coach. But she admits there will be some worry in the back of her mind because of what happened with Coach Parker.

"I never saw him do anything to warrant what was said about him in the first place," Ware said. "I wasn’t going to take the job, but for the good of the girls I decided to.

"I won’t coach past this season. In fact, I have decided to retire after this year. Who in their right mind would come here to coach now? Unless it’s a local person that knows the people and feels like they can trust them. But I can’t think of anybody who would do it."

E-mail Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com

 

This story was published Friday, January 21, 2005

Edited January 25, 2005 by coachc

[PokerPlayer07]

his recommedation would be "watch the girls' parents, they could go crazy and have some very good fire insaurance

Edited January 25, 2005 by PokerPlayer07

[Bill#49]

As a former coach at WHS, I am shocked at this act of violence.  I wish Coach Parker and his family well.  I hope the local police can step up to the plate and punish the guilty.  HE IS A GOOD COACH AND FAMILY MAN.  I am shocked.

 

God Bless,

 

Nick Chaykowsky

Head Coach Boys Basketball

Alexander High School

Douglasville, GA

Here is a copy of the article.

 

Times Free Press

 

Whitwell incident sickening

Stephen Hargis

 

The best part of covering high school sports is that it is competition in its purest form.

  Most of the athletes will never play at the college level, and prep coaches certainly aren’t in it for the money. Even most of the parents just want to lend a hand to make sure their kids enjoy the brief time spent playing. And for that, I love getting to tell the stories about the positive side of sports.

  But one thing I’ve learned in 14 years of covering area preps is not to be surprised by anything. Sports is a microcosm of society, so you have to learn to deal with the mischievous, the cheaters and the morally reprehensible, so there are times when I would rather not have to share a story.

  One such case happened last weekend. Whether it was the product of disgruntled parents or frustrated fans or simply a random act of vandalism, it immediately left a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.

  Several weeks ago, a small group of parents lobbied to have Danny Parker removed as the girls’ basketball coach at Whitwell High School. The accusation was that Parker, who has coached for 35 years — including the last 14 at Whitwell — had thrown a clipboard and basketballs at some players during a practice.

  School principal Sydney Durham interviewed every player, as well as assistant coach Madeline Ware, and they each said no such incident happened. Durham dropped the matter.

  Parker has been Whitwell’s athletic director the last four years and has also coached boys’ basketball, golf and softball.

  After last Friday’s game, Parker and his wife Connie spent the weekend at their second home in Fentress County. When Parker returned to his house in Whitwell, he found the side of his 1995 Ford Ranger was black from an apparent arson attempt.

  According to Parker, diesel fuel had been poured around the side of the truck and around the gas tank, but the flame never made it to the tank, which would have caused an explosion.

  "The whole area around the gas tank is burned, and the gas cap was completely melted," Whitwell police chief Ronnie Davis said. "Whoever it was came close to blowing the truck up, and it’s a wonder they didn’t blow themselves up trying."

  Parker couldn’t be sure, of course, that the incident was related to the complaints about his coaching, but he has not returned to the school. He made the immediate decision to gather some mementos and other things from the Whitwell house and go back to Fentress County.

  "I decided right then that it wasn’t safe for us to stay there," said Parker, who has not officially retired but said he is considering it. "I pride myself in being somebody who doesn’t quit, but when you find that somebody has tried to burn your truck, Connie and I just fear for our safety."

  Being a small community, it didn’t take long for word to spread. Durham said she has been visited by most of the school’s other coaches, fearful of their own well-being.

  "I don’t blame any of them, and it’s going to make it incredibly tough to find someone that would want to come here to coach," Durham said.

  "In my 11 years here, I’ve never had a single parent complain about him or his coaching style before. It made me very angry that anyone would go to that extent to ruin someone’s career, and their life. It made me ashamed to know it’s someone who lives here in this community, because this is where I have lived all my life."

  It took some coaxing, but Ware has agreed to finish the season as the Lady Tigers’ coach. But she admits there will be some worry in the back of her mind because of what happened with Coach Parker.

  "I never saw him do anything to warrant what was said about him in the first place," Ware said. "I wasn’t going to take the job, but for the good of the girls I decided to.

  "I won’t coach past this season. In fact, I have decided to retire after this year. Who in their right mind would come here to coach now? Unless it’s a local person that knows the people and feels like they can trust them. But I can’t think of anybody who would do it."

  E-mail Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com

 

This story was published Friday, January 21, 2005

825535701[/snapback]

 

Nice article Hargis. Has anything ever happened like this elsewhere?

[TNbBall23]

I hate to hear that for Parker.......kinda makes the valley look bad too....it only takes a few though to make alot of good people look bad.....whitwell has always been classy when we have played them though.......I hope justice is served......we(sequatchie) played them last week and you could tell their girls just werent into it...tough situation

 

 

Coach C.......you are in georgia now? Looks like you did a decent job training whitwells boys coach, they have improved.

[SeqValleyFan]

Any new news? I agree it kinda gives a bad impression for the area.....but like you said there are alot of good people there.

[coachc]

I hate to hear that for Parker.......kinda makes the valley look bad too....it only takes a few though to make alot of good people look bad.....whitwell has always been classy when we have played them though.......I hope justice is served......we(sequatchie) played them last week and you could tell their girls just werent into it...tough situation

Coach C.......you are in georgia now?  Looks like you did a decent job training whitwells boys coach, they have improved.

825537922[/snapback]

 

 

Yes. I am at Alexander HS (West of Atlanta off I-20). It is a AAAA school. Tough District. (#1, #2, #4 in the state AAAA). I am proud of Coach Powell and the Whitwell boys. Coach Powell deserves all the credit.

 

Its a shame that this has happened to someone in the basketball profession. Coach Parker AND the profession deserve better.