Softball coaches fired because parents drank at his home

The man who guided his varsity softball team to a 2A Western Region title this spring was terminated last week for violating a school alcohol policy.

In a phone interview Monday, Walkersville High School coach Brad Young acknowledged that a couple of parents brought beer to the annual post-season team cookout and pool party at his home in June -- a violation of Frederick County Public School rules prohibiting alcohol at any school function. Young, in his fifth year as head softball coach, does not work for the school system and said he was unaware that parents drinking at his home during a post-season team party constituted a violation of the alcohol-free, drug-free, tobacco-free school system rules.

First-year junior varsity head coach Danny Cleveland confirmed the school system also relieved him of his coaching duties. Cleveland said his full-time position in school support at Gov. Thomas Johnson High School was not affected.

Young and team parents said none of the students at the party drank or had access to alcohol. The letter Young received from the school system does not allege that any students drank or had access to alcohol at the party. None of the adults at the party were intoxicated, the parents and coach said.

Young said he is appealing the termination decision, which he said was made by supervisor of athletics Lynn Carr, to superintendent Linda Burgee. Under the ruling he will not be allowed to coach in the county school system for three years. Cleveland's punishment is the same.

"Right now, that matter has come before the attention of the superintendent," spokeswoman Marita Loose said. "The school system is investigating the issue internally for the superintendent and the school board."

Loose confirmed that Young and Burgee have a meeting scheduled to discuss the termination. She said she could not address questions because it a personnel issue.

"Coaches' contracts are subject to annual renewal," Loose wrote in an e-mail Monday. "In this case, the contracts for '09-'10 have not been renewed."

Walkersville athletic director Mike Mummert was not available for comment.

Bob McNally, father of two players on this year's team, said he brought beer to the team function at Young's home, unaware it would be a school system policy violation for the coach to permit it at a team party.

"None of the students had access to alcohol or were drinking," McNally said in a phone interview Monday. "The girls simply had a lot of fun. And Brad (Young) did not drink. In no way shape or form did any parents or school employee put any of the students in jeopardy or do anything illegal or immoral."

McNally described Young as a "great role model for those kids," and "a mentor who gives 150 percent" for the students-athletes in his charge.

"It wasn't an intentional violation," NcNally said. "The punishment doesn't fit the crime."

McNally, along with Glade Valley Athletic Association softball coach Ken Sowers and Sarah Tuck, whose daughter Karson was named county player of the year, described Young as a coach who goes out of his way to assist student-athletes with college applications and scholarship opportunities.

Sarah Tuck said her daughter, a rising senior, was devastated when she heard Young would not be back for her last year.

"I think it's an extreme shame," Tuck said. "More should've been done to take a different route than termination. I am well aware the bureaucracy has to take its course, but it also needs courage to do the right thing."

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