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Coach Responds to School Board’s Decision

From staff reports

“You have read quotes about this from our
school Superintendent Mr. Scott and from
the school board that this issue was not
about my character,” stated Godsey.
“However, I strongly disagree. This serious
charge of insubordination most definitely
strikes at my reputation, my good name
and my character.”

Former Gate City Lady Blue Devil softball coach Hugh Godsey released a statement to the press Sunday, March 25 from his parents’ home in Hiltons regarding the Scott County School Board’s decision to terminate his softball coaching contract last week at a special-called meeting.

“Even though I realize that by making this public statement that I might possibly be jeopardizing my teaching position and that I may be unduly harassed or scrutinized, I strongly feel that I must stand up and defend my name, my reputation, and my character,” stated Godsey.

Many players, former players, parents, and members of the community attended the special-called meeting held March 19 to speak out about Godsey’s character. Nonetheless, the school board voted unanimously to terminate Godsey’s softball coaching contract for the spring 2007 season due to insubordination.

“This decision has nothing to do with Hugh’s character,” said Scott County Superintendent James B. Scott. “I had asked Hugh to do something for me two or three times, and he didn’t do it.”

But the coach believed the decision made by the school system to release him from coaching duties this spring was based on problems they had with his “character.”

“You have read quotes about this from our school Superintendent Mr. Scott and from the school board that this issue was not about my character,” stated Godsey. “However, I strongly disagree. This serious charge of insubordination most definitely strikes at my reputation, my good name and my character.”

Godsey felt that the public was not fully informed of the situation, and he wanted to clear things up with certain people who felt that there was more to it than insubordination.

“When one of my former players is approached at college and asked, ‘Are you one of those girls who had an affair with Coach Godsey?’ then I feel something must be done,” added Godsey.

Godsey indicated that his termination came after incidents over a year’s time concerning the actions of an assistant coach.

“During last softball season (spring 2006), I was called to Mr. Scott’s office and informed by him that a complaint had been received concerning supposed inappropriate remarks made by one of my assistant coaches to one of my players,” said Godsey.

He explained that he felt he took the appropriate actions to take care of the problem, and watched the interaction between the assistant coach and the player before he approached either one of them. Godsey eventually confronted his assistant, and the assistant said that he remembered saying something to the player concerning public displays of affection with her boyfriend.

Godsey then approached the girl’s father, and the father said that she was offended by what the assistant coach said, but that everything was fine.

The assistant coach, who is not a school employee, was not rehired as an assistant coach for the 2006-07 basketball season. Godsey was hoping that his former assistant coach could still remain as a volunteer, and he submitted an application for a VHSCA coach’s pass for the former assistant.

“Soon after, I was called by my Athletic Director and told that the personnel director from our Central Office had called and told him that this coach would not be coaching in any capacity, volunteer or otherwise at Gate City High School,” said Godsey. “I indicated to my Athletic Director that I did not agree with this, and they needed to have a good reason for this type of action.”

Godsey said that Scott told him that he didn’t need a good reason to take this action, but he felt that he did have reason enough, especially with a non-school employee, to do deny the assistant coach contact with the players.

The former assistant, who has a daughter on the basketball team, continued to attend practices and games. Godsey was told again to make sure that the former coach was not giving instruction to the girls, and Godsey said he spoke to the former assistant.

After a basketball game on Dec. 5, Godsey was approached by the player’s mother, and she expressed concern about him being around the girls. The mother indicated that she had been told that the former assistant was not to even be around the girls.

“The next day, I contacted my Athletic Director and told him about the conversation with the mother,” added Godsey. “He told me that he knew of no such restrictions, and that we were doing as were supposed to do.”

On Feb. 9, 2007, Godsey was given a letter from the principal of Gate City High School banning the former coach from school property at Gate City High School and Gate City Middle School.

Godsey said that he confronted the principal, but the word had come from central office. He was told there were two incidents of concern: (1) a practice session in which the former coach was used by a group of college and high school boys to scrimmage against the girls’ team, and (2) a game trip where he was allowed to ride the bus.

“I immediately argued that those were both things that other parents have done and still do,” stated Godsey, “and that my Assistant Coach and I though nothing of the incidents. I strongly feel that I was in no way insubordinate to Mr. Scott and that I should be allowed to resume my coaching duties as a softball coach.”

Superintendent Scott did not comment on the board’s decision, but he did stress that the decision had nothing to do with character.

Yesterday supporters of Godsey ran an advertisement in the daily newspaper requesting anyone who was his friend or were concerned about their children to attend last night’s regular monthly meeting of the Scott County School Board.

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