Middle School Baseball Coach Told To Stop Making Kids Box
Okay, I thought my day was finished, but when something this bloggable happens in your own backyard, you’re honor-compelled to post about it. A Loudon County, Tennessee middle school baseball coach has been told to stop making his players don the boxing gloves and duke it out. According to Knoxnews:
Kevin Gentry, a first-year principal at Philadelphia Middle School, said he asked boys baseball coach Brian Curtis, who’s in his second year, to stop the boxing matches after numerous parent complaints.
“I have addressed the issue,” Gentry said. “There will be no more boxing or sparring during baseball practice.”
And here’s the kicker:
Gentry confirmed the “bouts” were conducted without protective equipment other than boxing gloves.
That means that he was letting little kids hammer the shit out of each other to the head with reckless abandon. Um, principle/principal (I never could get those two words straight), I don’t think that just making him stop is enough. I mean he’s hired to turn kids into Derek Jeter; not Floyd Mayweather, or Tito Ortiz. But hey, maybe I’m over-reacting, when you think about it, who hasn’t gone out on a Saturday night, thrown a couple of twelve-year-olds into a pit and bet on which one would survive. I did that shit two weeks ago.
(I don’t know who the kids in the pic are, but they look like they could whoop some serious ass)
April 26th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Okay, so i just thought i would comment on this one.
im a graduate of this middle school, but for the record, that was before it went to hell in a hand basket.
the boys on the team were being told that if they didnt box, they didnt play.
several players were coming home with busted up faces and no ones saying a damn thing.
and heres the best part:
because philadelphia does not have a softball team, they have a 4th grade girl pitching every now and then. she, too, was getting the crap beat out of her. the coach, curtis, basically said “if you want any chance at any playing time, then you’ll show what your made of”.
talk about repulsive.
thanks for the recognition.
April 26th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
AND P.S. :
the school is not neccesarily a middle school. its a k-8, known as philadelphia elementary school, which also has fourth and fifth graders.
AND EVEN BETTER:
bryan curtis (the coach) built the field those boys(and girl) are playing on with his old money. its known as curtis field and is considering the holy grail of the school. even the regular gym classes are fobidden to step foot on it.
AND THE BEST OF THE BEST:
all of the interviewed commentees are relatives of teachers at the school where bryan’s wife has taught since the stone age. they only interviewed those in support.
all of the other parents of the players (and even parents of non-athletes) were LIVID.
but why show that in a small town when who you know makes you famous?
April 26th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Appreciate the info. I heard it on the radio, and I’ve really been surprised that it wasn’t a bigger deal. I guess if he put that much money into it that’s why he’s probably still the coach. I’m from a small town myself and I know how the money of a few can control what goes on it the whole town.