YOUR TURN: Mistakes, questions, misplaced priorities in Camden Catholic football firing

The last month has been very difficult for me. I have been upset with Camden Catholic High School and Nick Strom because nothing in this matter has been handled with the right spirit. I coached football at Camden Catholic for four years under Coach Strom and for one season prior to his arrival. Sitting back and watching how everything has unfolded saddened me tremendously. Prior to recent events, I thought that I would be coaching football at Camden Catholic for the indefinite future. Under Nick Strom, I served as the varsity defensive line coach and head junior varsity coach.

I have so many questions as to the reason that I will no longer coach at Camden Catholic. Why did the Camden Catholic administration decide to fire their football coach about 40 days before the first practice? Why not do so back in December? Why are they forcing out a quality teacher, successful coach and positive mentor? Why didn’t Coach Strom do a better job of conforming to Camden Catholic policies? Why are they not working with Coach Strom to improve what they viewed as shortcomings? Why not look to his staff for a suitable replacement? Why are Camden Catholic faculty members telling absolute lies? Why isn’t anyone thinking of the kids?

For more than a year prior to Coach Strom’s dismissal, I felt that football players were being treated unfairly by the administration. For example, I was told that a football player faced expulsion, and was later forced to withdraw from Camden Catholic, because the administration wanted to set an example. I was told by school President Mary Whipkey that “if there are 50 players on the team, now 49 know that this behavior is unacceptable.” I was shocked that expulsion was being used to make an example out of a student.

More:Football: Camden Catholic picks Robert Cody Hall as new coach

More:Charge: Diving coach ran murky business with son

More:MLB Draft: Ocean City's Danny Nunan headlines Day 3 picks

I was further dismayed when I found out that the player’s co-conspirator (a non-football player) did not face expulsion or, to my knowledge, any punishment. The player was black, and I was told that the co-conspirator was also black, so race never played a factor in my mind. However, I now question whether the result would have been the same had the player been white or been a non-football player. Regardless of whether race played a factor, I felt expulsion (or forced withdrawal) was an inappropriate way to make an example out of a student. I determined at that meeting that Mary Whipkey and Principal Heather Crisci (the two with whom I met) were unfit for their positions. I will always remember this kid for going out of his way to say hello to me as we crossed paths near the school. Few teenagers go out of their way to say hello to an adult, especially an authority figure. Ms. Whipkey and Ms. Crisi didn’t care what kind of kid he was when they decided to make an example out of him.

Questionable statements, actions

Please do not read my letter under the false understanding that I take issue with the Camden Catholic community. I still believe that Camden Catholic is a great school. I still believe that a majority of the faculty wants what is best for each student. I know that my words will hurt those that I have come to know and respect. However, when I read that President Whipkey admitted to having these conversations with Coach Strom, I am upset. I cringe when I read that the explanation for asking questions about the race of incoming students is for the purpose financial assistance. I am not aware of a scholarship designated for black students, and if no such scholarship exists then the reasoning that the school has given is just a carefully crafted way of equating black and poverty.

There was one statement made by Camden Catholic that I personally know to be 100% false. Athletic Director Derrick Levine stated, “I think they (Coach Strom and President Whipkey) had a pretty strong relationship until fairly recently.” When he was asked if he’d noticed that bond’s strain, Levine said, “Maybe over the past couple weeks.” I have had numerous conversations with AD Levine and he was well aware of the negative feelings harbored by Coach Strom and President Whipkey for each another. I do not believe that President Whipkey and Coach Strom’s relationship was ever as strong as AD Levine stated. This was not only a lie, but a clear attempt to cover up for the actions of the president and principal.

I have also read that the reasons for dismissal had to do with a long history of noncompliance, and a continuing refusal to abide by regulations, along with a disdain for legitimate authority. I am upset with Coach Strom for letting any member of Camden Catholic believe he could act in such a way, as we would expect more from our players. If he did act in this, manner then I blame him for putting himself, the coaching staff and the football team in this situation. He should not have given the administration these reasons to terminate him.

Some people believe that Coach Strom’s success should excuse him of these minor violations. I am not one of those people. Coach Strom should be held to every rule imposed on every other faculty member, if not a higher standard. When he violated rules, he should have been punished and eventually fired for continually violating those policies. The problem that exists in this situation is a lack of progressive discipline. Why was Coach Strom never suspended? Why was Coach Strom never written up? The use of progressive discipline is not only a way for the school to document such violations, but also gives an employee the opportunity to realize the seriousness of their actions and adjust such.

When we disciplined players, it started with running after practice. If violations of team rules continued, then players were suspended for a quarter of a game and then players were suspended for an entire game. If you take the administration at their word, then their actions equate to running Coach Strom after practice and then kicking him off the team. When you look at Coach Strom’s success, it seems that they would have given him every chance to correct his actions. The failure to do such leaves questions and gives credence to his allegations.

Prejudice concerns

For the last three years, Coach Strom disclosed to the coaching staff that he felt there was prejudice atop the leadership of Camden Catholic. Coach Strom did attempt to address this issue with assistance from different faculty members. He attempted to enlist the coaching staff last summer to help address these issues. Being one of few black students from grade school through high school myself, I had dealt with prejudice my entire life. Coach Strom was surprised at the existence of such, but I was not.

I could have and should have done more to help the situation at Camden Catholic. However, it has always been my inclination to assume a person is unintelligent before assuming that they are prejudiced. I label people as unintelligent until the point where a lack of intelligence can no longer be an excuse for their actions. I had already labeled President Whipkey and Principal Crisi as unintelligent, but the dismissal of Coach Strom cannot be chalked up to a simple lack of intelligence.

I have been waiting and hoping for the school to explain the poor timing of Coach Strom’s dismissal. If this was in fact a long history of such action, why wasn’t it dealt with immediately after the football season? To invoke a long history of what appears to be undocumented behavior is just not enough, especially if prior reviews do not reflect violations. By waiting until April 30, it appears that they were being vindictive and ensuring that Coach Strom would be unable to coach another team during the 2018 season. The statements released by Camden Catholic to this point can only be viewed as misguided attempts to protect the school at all costs. Ms. Whipkey calls the allegations “baseless,” but is also stuck with how the students have reacted. Are the students’ feelings without basis?

Camden Catholic’s administration wants to point to the diversity among the student body as a defense. I find that defense to be flawed. Look at the diversity among the Camden Catholic faculty? Or coaching staffs? I believe that one would find that the football staff had as many, if not more, black coaches than the entire faculty and other staffs combined. This is not an attack on the faculty or other coaching staffs, but a counter to the administrations claim of being a community where diversity is celebrated.

Only two people know what was said in the room between Coach Strom and President Whipkey. I was not there, nor was any other member of the Camden Catholic community. Coach Strom can be the disgruntled former employee and President Whipkey could still have made decisions based upon race. The two facts are not mutually exclusive. In fact, Coach Strom could be a terrible teacher, coach and mentor, but still be telling the truth. Until the Camden Catholic community realizes and acknowledges such, everything that they say is without merit.

Why did the entire staff have to go? I never broke dress code. I was never disrespectful to the president. I never confronted a faculty member in front of students. I was never noncompliant. I never refused to abide by regulations. I never showed a disdain for legitimate authority.

Why was the staff let go, as if we were 6-34? I look at who was hired at other successful South Jersey programs. Lenape hired an assistant from the prior coaching staff. Cherokee did the same. Why were none of Coach Strom’s assistants considered for the head coach position? This gives further credence to Coach Strom’s allegations, as Camden Catholic has made the decision that everything and everyone attached to Coach Strom must go despite our success.

Like a bad dream

For weeks after Coach Strom’s dismissal I woke up each morning and was forced to remember that this was not a bad dream. I am no longer a coach at Camden Catholic. The only thing that brings me more sadness is thinking that I am no longer with my kids. Watching them develop on and off the field has brought more joy to my life than any other accomplishment. Knowing that I will not be there with them in the future pains me. I will not be there when my former players return on Thanksgiving Day, and I agonize when I think of not being there for the senior year of the 2019 class after building so many great memories. I have not been given sufficient reason for that agony, and I am just now coming to grips with the fact that I will likely never be given sufficient reasoning.

Why is no one considering the young men? They are clearly in pain by all of this. Say what you will about Coach Strom and his allegations, but you cannot deny the pain being shown by the students. I fault the Mary Whipkey, Heather Crisi and Coach Strom for taking their eye off what is truly important.

I saw my kids being asked questions by media and I am proud of the maturity and poise that they have shown. The adults acted like children and the children acted like adults. At least I can hold onto the fact that maybe I contributed to second part of that.

BJ Flowers is a former assistant football coach at Camden Catholic High School in Cherry Hill.

More Camden Catholic coverage:

• LETTER: Camden Catholic right to fire my mentor, Coach Strom
• LETTER: Discrimination thrives at Camden Catholic
• LETTER: Camden Catholic never tolerates racism
• Camden Catholic football coach Nick Strom fired; racism alleged
• Football: Camden Catholic picks Robert Cody Hall as new coach