Basketball Coach Jason Popp of Richmond Heights under fire

Jason Popp is the extremely successful varsity boys basketball coach at Richmond Heights High School in Richmond Heights Ohio.

An absolute meltdown is happening at Richmond Heights within the basketball program as Coach Jason Popp is coming under fire from his own team. Not just his basketball team, but their parents as well.

You see this a lot with teams that are struggling to find wins or struggle to compete altogether, but you rarely see this on a team that is currently undefeated at 15-0.

Popps’ players have said publicly that they will not play another game for the Spartans unless Popp is removed immediately. Parents have sent letters to the school board and med with the school board demanding action. [see video]

Among the ACCUSATIONS against Coach Popp are that he is racist and has made degrading comments to players.

It is claimed that Popp said some of the following things to players;

Popp allegedly told a group of players that one boy’s father was “a drunk, and the apartment he lives in is probably government housing.”

Before a game against Cardinal, Coach Popp told his players that the other team expected them “to play like niggers, which you are.”

When a player asked to be excused from an extended practice because it was his grandmother’s birthday, Popp said he didn’t give “two fucks” about the kid’s grandmother.

Coach Popp met with school superintendent, Dr. Linda Hardwick and said that NONE of the allegations are true.

This whole matter comes down to who Dr. Harwick believes. If they fire Coach Popp based on the players statements, he probably would and should sue the school system. It would be easy for Popp to step down, he could certainly find another job tomorrow.

In this instance the school needs to be very careful to not let the tail wag the dog. If they set a precedence now that players decide who will coach them the Richmond Heights athletics department will be of no interest to future quality coaching prospects.

UPDATE: School administrators have decided to suspend coach Popp for the balance of the season but he is welcome to come back next year. This is an awful approach. You either believe the man and stand by him or you believe the boys and fire him. Good luck next year when the same problem will be waiting.