ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, April 6, 1996 TAG: 9604090014
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
BOBBY MARTIN BELIEVES parents may be behind his removal at Bassett.
When Henry County school officials decided Thursday to replace Bobby Martin as the boys' basketball coach at Bassett High School, they gave him no reason.
Martin first heard a month ago there would be a change, and he said he was told six weeks ago that he was doing a good job and was a good role model.
Under state law, school boards are not required to give a reason for decisions regarding personnel. Thus, there was no explanation for Martin losing his job when the Henry County school board backed Bassett principal Thomas Fitzgibbons' wish to make a change in basketball coaches.
Martin said he didn't believe it when he first heard he would not retain his job as the basketball coach, which he held for four years.
``To be honest, it's still a shock,'' he said Friday. ``I was planning on expanding my house. I was ready to stay another 10 years. I was comfortable at Bassett. It just blew me away [when I heard about it].''
Martin first received the news on a Friday, waited for the weekend to pass and on Monday had a meeting with Fitzgibbons.
``He said I didn't fit the image they wanted at Bassett,'' said Martin, adding that athletic director Lisa Black heard the conversation.
Fitzgibbons said he could not comment on one-on-one conversations with personnel.
Henry County school superintendent David Martin, when asked about the meeting and what Fitzgibbons may have told Martin, said, ``I prefer not to comment.''
Martin's supporters rallied to his defense at Thursday's school board meeting, though some of them maintain school officials tried to minimize their input.
``Twelve students were allowed to speak, but over 50 kids had wanted to talk,'' said one supporter. ``The school even chose the kids who were allowed to be there.''
Martin said it didn't make a lot of difference. ``They say they want to put the kids first, but they never listened to them [until Thursday]. But the decision had already been made. It was a done deal,'' he asserted.
While Martin had a losing record in basketball, his last two teams were 22-18. He is being allowed to continue as assistant football coach and head track coach.
Martin has retained a lawyer, but hasn't decided whether to take further action. He believes some parents are the reason for his ouster.
``This year, we had eight out of 10 kids [in basketball] make the honor roll,'' Martin said. ``That's winning right there. I look at what Frank Scott [Laurel Park basketball coach] is doing, and he has had 38 of 44 kids go to college. That's not important anymore. You have to make parents happy.
``Regardless, I have to find another job and move on with my life. I still want to be a basketball coach. If not at Bassett, somewhere else. I've put too much time in it. There's no greater feeling than to see a kid come in as a ninth grader and go off to college as a man.
``I think the work I've done speaks for itself. When I took over here, a lot of people turned the job down. They said you couldn't win and that the kids wouldn't work hard. But they have worked hard.''
LENGTH: Medium: 63 linesby CNB