Three days after being told that he would no longer coach the Jamesville-DeWitt boys basketball team, Bob McKenney offered up his side of the story and said he was given no reason for his dismissal after a 19-year tenure that included five state championships.
Originally, McKenney was set to provide his version of events at a press conference on Thursday afternoon, but he chose to cancel that event and, instead, issued a long statement regarding the timeline of events that led to his firing.
“I can stand with my head high knowing I gave everything I had to my players and the program, and that I did nothing wrong,” said McKenney.
McKenney confirmed that, on March 10, two days after the Red Rams lost to CBA in the Section III Class A final, he met with athletic director John Goodson and, as previously reported, was given an ultimatum to either resign or face termination, neither of which he wanted to do.
“After 19 years of dedication, I was given absolutely no reason as to why I was given such an ultimatum, and was told that i had 24 hours to make a decision,” said McKenney. “The next day, I informed the district that I would not resign.”
What followed, said McKenney, was nearly two weeks of silence from the school district. During that time, more than 200 people attended a J-D School Board meeting on March 16, asking that McKenney stay. Nearly 1,800 people signed an online petition with that same request.
Then, on Sunday, McKenney said he received a voicemail from J-D’s assistant superintendent, Peter Smith, that asked him to attend a meeting on Monday night with Smith and Goodson.
Again, McKenney said he was asked to step down, but not given a reason for that request.
“There was no discussion regarding a review of the program or the program itself,” said McKenney. “When I inquired as to the reason they were requesting my resignation, I was told there was not one specific reason and that after a “review” of the program, the district felt they needed to “go in a different direction” given the “culture” of the basketball program.”
In his defense, McKenney said that the “review” of his program did not involve discussions with anyone on his coaching staff, from Charles Falgitano, the junior varsity head coach for 15 years, to assistant coach Jay O’Shea and freshman coach Tim Mascari. Nor, said McKenney, did any J-D administrator attend practices of any of the varsity, JV or freshman teams to find out anything further.
So the decision was made, and McKenney was fired, but he said that he was humbled by the outpouring of support from former players and the J-D community.
“While the district apparently felt they needed to “go in a different direction”, I will let the overwhelming support from the community, my players and the basketball family speak on my behalf,” he said. “I think the message is loud and clear that the culture of the program for the last 19 years cultivated an environment of family and respect.”
In thanking both players and coaches for all of their contributions, McKenney said that, since 1996, he and his fellow coaches intended to build a program as much on character as it did results.
“We have taught the players how to be leaders and that the team is more important than the self,” he said. “We have always emphasized that playing for each other, and not letting down a teammate, was ultimately the most important and valuable life-long lesson.”
McKenney said that, while he departs J-D, he will feel proud of what he has accomplished.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to have coached so many great young men,” he said. “Many years from now, when people gather to talk about all that we accomplished and what our legacy is, it will be that we did our best each and every day, and that we truly loved each and every player.”
