SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — The Seminole County High School baseball coach was riding high after his team clinched a state championship title when he gave an impassioned speech to his players. Eight months later, the district said he was removed from the job after video of the speech surfaced.
The school district said during the speech coach Kenne Brown was congratulating his team on their big win and in the process used several swear words.
Sources told Channel 9 reporter Jeff Levkulich that Brown learned of the video and reported his lapse in judgement to the district.
Last week he was relieved of his head coaching duties. He’s still employed as a teacher at the school.
A district spokesperson said the decision was based on past precedent set by other coaches involved in similar incidents in years past.
Levkulich asked parents whether they agreed with the district’s decision to remove Brown as the coach.
“Absolutely not, absolutely not,” said parent Joe Guida. “The proof is in the pudding. If he could take a group of young men to get them to operate as a team … that is just so difficult to find somebody that does a good job of that. I would support him 100%.”
Students who Levkulich spoke to agreed.
“We are not perfect, everybody makes mistakes, but I don’t think he should be resigned or fired from it,” senior Mackenzie Lemon said. “That's just my opinion.”
For now, Seminole High School teacher Adam Bransfield is serving as the interim baseball coach.
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