A student at Negaunee High School in Michigan was removed from the high school basketball team because he skipped practice to go hunting with his family. The school district stands by the head coach’s decision.
It released a statement in support of its staff after backlash.
I highly doubt the high school basketball coach expected his decision to go as viral as it did but he has the backing of his employer. The student is not going to fight the ruling any further.
A student skipped practice to go hunting.
This whole thing went down in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, just 11 miles inland from Lake Superior. You cannot go much further north before you hit Canada.
Negaunee High School enrolls only 450 students in Grades 9-12. Only 12 students tried out for the boys varsity basketball team in total, but two of them are out for the season with an injury. So 10 total.
As a result of the low turnout, head coach William ‘Billy’ Hall did not make any cuts. Every student that showed up made the team.
However, one student was later dropped from the roster because he failed to show up to two practices that next week. His coach told him not to miss practice for a family hunting trip. He did so anyway.
“I then gave the player a choice,” coach Hill said. “I said if you don’t show up on Monday and Tuesday you did not make the team, as we have a scrimmage on Saturday, we only have 10 in uniform and the rest of the team is expected to be at practice. You also have the weekend and Thanksgiving week to hunt.”
Neither of the student’s parents reached out to the coach until the decision to remove their son from the team was already made. They appealed to the administration but the administration chose not to reinstate the student who missed practice.
Negaunee High School stands by its basketball coach.
The mother’s initial post on Facebook sparked a much larger discussion than she ever would’ve expected. It went from a local debate to a national conversation.
Even though she and her husband followed the chain of command to the top in an effort to appeal, coach Hill’s decision is final. Her son has since shifted his focus to a new sport.
Because of the response on social media, the Negaunee Public Schools Board of Education decided to release a statement of its own. The high school basketball coach did what is best for his team.
“We are aware of the recent comments circulating on social media regarding our boys’ basketball program. As a district, we do not typically respond to online debate, but we want to express our support for our coaching staff, teachers, support staff, and all who work every day to provide a positive experience for our students.
“Coaches make decisions with the best interests of their teams in mind, guided by district expectations and their professional judgment. We appreciate their dedication and the time they invest in our students.
We remain committed to addressing any concerns through direct, respectful conversations rather than social-media discussions. If families have questions, we encourage them to reach out to us directly.
Thank you for your continued support of our students and programs.“
Fair enough. Coach told the player not to miss practice. The player missed practice.