COBB COUNTY, Ga. — It was standing room only at the Cobb County School Board meeting on Thursday night. Dozens of people packed the board room to rally around two coaches who said they were abruptly fired.
Coach Randy McClure and Coach James Gwyn, who coached girls’ and boys’ basketball at Campbell High School, said they were blindsided last week when they learned their contracts would not be renewed at the end of this semester.
“I would’ve loved to have known that it was my last year during the season…To be dismissed and not know my last year was my last year, that’s tough,” Gwyn said.
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There are nearly 4,000 signatures on a Change.Org petition demanding a full investigation into the termination of both coaches who have a combined 1,200 career wins.
“We have been in the region championship for like 13-plus years in a row, and the girls our team GPA is 3.7. The boys had a winning season also,” McClure said.
The school even named the Gwyn-McClure Gymnasium after the two decorated coaches.
“We’re committed to Campbell,” Gwyn said. “We are Campbell folks. We are committed to this community, and we feel like it is obvious, this is where we wanted to be for our careers.”
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They said they want to be reinstated which is what some of their student athletes would like to see as well.
“I would love to see him back,” said Campbell High School sophomore, Cooper Watkins who had Coach Gwyn as his baseball coach last season. “He is very dedicated, very good person, and he really supports the players and the families. He is just a really, good coach.”
Supporters were calling for an investigation, which Superintendent Chris Ragsdale said is underway.
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“When I learned of the way they were let go, I immediately and personally initiated a review of that decision,” Ragsdale said. “That review has now resulted in an investigation…As a district, we hold ourselves to a higher standard than how this was handled.”
Ragsdale said he will report the findings at the conclusion of the investigation and share any actions that may be taken.
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