Upcoming Events
Poll
School suspends coach for 10 days
Cited for use of foul language
CRYSTAL RIVER — Citrus County School District officials want their coaches to set a positive example for students.
And when coaches cross a line, even with the use of certain language, district officials say they will be punished.
Crystal River High School head football coach Greg Fowler knows that.
Fowler, in his second year as head coach at CRHS, received a 10-day unpaid suspension for his use of foul language during practices and at games.
Fowler, who teaches math, served the suspension between Oct. 29 and Nov. 9.
The suspension became public Tuesday due to state law that delays by 10 days release of a disciplinary report after it is placed in an employee’s file.
“We, here in Citrus County, have taken many steps to ensure our students are not subjected to this type of behavior from our staff members,” Superintendent of Schools Sandra “Sam” Himmel wrote to Fowler in his suspension notice.
Fowler, in a written statement to district officials, acknowledged using foul language.
“I have used profanity on occasion during practices,” he wrote on Oct. 22, according to district records. “No comments I made were intended to be abusive, but I cannot speak as to how they are received.”
After starting the season 4-0, the Pirates finished with a 6-4 record after a Friday night win over rival Lecanto. District officials removed Fowler from the team for the final three games and placed him on administrative assignment while they conducted the investigation.
Records show the investigation began when the parent of two players complained to the district about Fowler’s language. The allegations did not include his classroom work.
The report said seven assistant coaches were interviewed separately and they confirmed the allegations of profanity on the football field.
“Six out of the seven coaches expressed concerns for the way Mr. Fowler spoke to groups of players and individual players,” the report states.
Assistant superintendent of schools Mike Mullen said Tuesday the coaches should have alerted authorities of Fowler’s behavior prior to the parent’s complaint.
He said the district plans to notify assistant coaches and teachers they have an obligation to report inappropriate behavior when they see it.
“We’re going to address that district-wide,” Mullen said.
The district interviewed eight players. All said Fowler was a good coach, but that he also used profanity at practice and during games. Six also said Fowler used positive feedback when they did something right.
In an interview Tuesday with the Chronicle, Fowler was apologetic and said he realizes his behavior was inappropriate.
“I brought this upon myself and I don’t blame anyone else,” he said.
Along with the suspension and written reprimand, Himmel ordered Fowler to attend a behavior modification course sponsored by the National Federation of State High School Association.
Mullen said the message is clear.
“We don’t condone that at all,” he said. “We don’t accept it from students or student-athletes, so we’re definitely not going to accept it from coaches.”
Sports writer J.M. Soracchi contributed to this report.
Add new comment
Read and share your thoughts on this story
Ad Gallery
Copyright © 2013
STOP YELLING!!!!!
I think your 18 year old kid needs their butt wiped????
to all whom commented
coach fowler was only suspended for false accusations on different accounts. If you want to know the true story why don't you ask the man himself. This is insane how far this has gone. Please just leave the man alone and return to your lives. He's a great coach and mentor. And a fatherly figure to all on his team.
Obviously, I mean doesn't the
Obviously, I mean doesn't the school usually suspend coaches for being "fatherly figures?"
THEY SAY IM A GOOD COACH- BUT
THEY SAY IM A GOOD COACH- BUT THEY DONT LIKE ME AS A PERSON...
THIS ALSO CAME FROM ONLY 8 PLAYERS - WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER 14+ THAT QUIT!!!
BTW THE RECORD IS 9 & 8 FOR COACH FOWLER..... ANYONE THAT KNOWS HOW TO DO THE MATH!
Ridiculous
As an alumnus from Crystal River High, I have encountered many different coaches there and never have I ever come across a coach so degrading, belittling and mentally abusive than this coach. I have never heard him say anything positive to any one of his players. I have witnessed the coach walking down the school hallways and a player running into the closest class to avoid having any extra contact with him. That is NO WAY how a student/player should feel about his or her coach.
Some of my favorite memories from high school include my coach. He was always there for me when I needed him and he was inspiring, motivational, and positive. I know boys who love football more than anything but could not wait for their senior year to be over just so they wouldn’t have to have any more contact with this coach.
I can understand a limited amount of cussing out on the fields but when it gets to the point to when a cheerleader out at practice, takes time away from her practice to film this coach because he is cussing so loudly and so repetitively , I think that’s when it becomes a problem. There is no need for negative reinforcement. This season would of gone A WHOLE LOT DIFFERENT if this coach were not head coach. If this would have been handled when it was FIRST brought to administrative attention maybe this would not be the case. This has been going on since LAST Spring, but nothing was done.
To “Brealistic”, I bet you couldn’t handle the daily, day to day mental abuse from this man. It was amazing that it took as long as it did for the 13+ players to quit. They didn’t quit because they weren’t “tough” enough to take the cussing. They quit because they were sick and tired of the mental abuse, they were drained from the constant belittling. “Brealistic” you say that the children cannot distinguish between yelling & cussing for motivational tools? Since when did cussing become motivational? This coach has taught these children nothing except how to treat people like garbage, and how to yell at his significant other(wife) for calling him during practice, yeah what a GREAT example for the kids. He is an angry man who DOES NOT belong around children. Maybe a drill sergeant or something, but definitely not as a coach.
Agree
Couldn't agree with you more, OVERIT! This is a huge cover-up. The man should be fired and never allowed to coach again.
Can't Understand why...........
Can't understand why in the hell you people elected Sam Himmel to be in charge of our education system, AGAIN! This certainly has been a problem way before the election and Citrus County is so stupid that they elected this witch, AGAIN. Especially, after hearing about some of the things she just lets slide while trivial instances she finds in blatant disregard of policy. Please, Football is Football.....Coaches cuss and players whine....Big Deal it's always been like that. Look at it this way.....What is your kid going to do when he goes off to college and goes out for the team. He's going to be laughed off the field. Let me tell you....they don't play nice and they really don't care what you as a parent thinks and it will be up to your child to decide if he is cut out for this sport where he can quit or go through with it. There are bigger challenges in life than a coach cussing and at the next level it doesn't get any better or easier. If your child cannot distinguish between yelling & cussing for motivational tools to gain game day mindsets to off the field where a coach takes a breath and can actually be seen as a civil decent human being that can actually teach your child something then the problem lies with your child and his insecurities. I do agree, however, that there is more to the story than what the Comical is printing. I heard this a couple of months ago and remember that it was much deeper than a cussing coach.
Brealistic
BULLY COACH
ANY NORMAL PERSON WOULD KNOW ABSOLUTELY THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT A FOOTBALL COACH "CUSSING" ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD- AND THIS IS NO "NEW" NEWS TO THE SCHOOL OR THE SCHOOL BOARD THAT'S WHY THEY HAD TO TAKE SOME ACTION AND SUSPEND THE HEAD COACH- MAYBE THE PAPER SHOULD HAVE GOT ALL THE FACTS FROM EVERYONE INVOLVED INSTEAD OF LIGHTENING UP THE STORY!!! FROM WHAT I KNOW THERE HAS BEEN SEVERAL FOOTBALL COACHES THROUGHOUT THE YEARS AT CRHS AND YES PROBABLY AT SOME POINT HAD CUSSED- BUT DAY AFTER DAY THE MENTAL ABUSE WEARS ON THE PLAYERS AND ASSISTANT COACHES- THIS MAY OF JUST COME OUT BUT HAS BEEN KNOWN SINCE SUMMER- WHEN YOU HAVE AT LEAST 14 PLAYERS QUIT A FOOTBALL TEAM & MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS FROM LOCAL PARENTS/FANS THERE HAS GOT TO BE A PROBLEM - A LOT MORE THAN CUSSING, COME ON PEOPLE ITS FOOTBALL BUT WE ARE ALL STILL HUMAN!!!!!
PAPER STATES 6 OUT OF 7 COACHES AGREED??? UMMMM DEAD GIVE AWAY, 6 COACHES THAT HAVE LIVED HERE THEIR WHOLE LIVES SOME WHO EVEN PLAYED FOR CRHS AND THE 1 THAT DIDN'T CAME ALONG WITH COACH FOWLER- ANOTHER GIVE AWAY!!! UNLESS YOU HAVE A CHILD THAT HAS BEEN COACHED BY THIS MAN PLEASE GET YOUR FACTS BEFORE CALLING THESE PLAYERS OR COACHES CRY BABIES!!! PLAYERS THAT STOOD UP FOR THEMSELVES CALL IT "PIRATE PRIDE"!!!! LETS JUST HOPE FOR WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THE KIDS COMING UP INTO THIS SCHOOL-
SUSPENSIONaNBY THE WAY
IF EVERY COACH THAT EVER USED A CUSS WORD IN CITRUS COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL WERE SUSPENDED THERE WOULD NOT BE ANY COACHES! MAYBE THERE WAS SOMEONE ON THE TEAM WHO'S PARENT HAD SOME INFLUENCE WITH THE LOCAL GOOD OLE BOYS? IF PLAYERS CAN'T TAKE THE HEAT MAYBE THEY SHOULD GET OFF THE FIELD, AND THE PARENTS SHOULD GET OUT OF THE STANDS. IF YOUR CHILD (AND I EMPHASIZE CHILD) DOESN'T REALIZE THIS IS A CONTACT SPORT AND ROUGH, MAYBE THEY SHOULD FIND SOMETHING A LITTLE LESS PHYSICAL. AND BY THE WAY, I BET THE PARENTS ARE NO ANGELS WHEN COMES TO LANGUAGE; AND I KNOW THE KIDS ARE NOT BECAUSE I HAVE HEARD THEM.
Louise
IF EVERY COACH THAT HAD EVER USED A CUSS WORD DURING HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL WERE SUSPENDED, THERE WOULD NOT BE A FOOTBALL COACH. SHAME ON YOU FOR SINGLING OUT ONE PERSON. COULD IT BE THAT THERE IS SOMEONE ON HIS TE
CRYBABIES ON A FOOTBALL TEAM!
They must be in training for special ops. I'll bet this coach does not even know some of the words my varsity coach used. We just had our 50th reunion and it looks like everyone on that team had pretty darn good jobs and positions with lots of responsibility. I guess these people want a coach who will say "please go out and knock that gentlemen on his poo-terr, but first give him a little kiss on the cheek so there will be no hard feelings.
Coach--go find another job.
Kingfish- understand where
Kingfish- understand where you are coming from, but if you played football you know that they don't suspend and investigate a coach for "occasional cussing" there is more to this story, just getting the part they want us to hear!
Spoiled little brats
The coach should tell the school to stick it when it comes to coaching football. Sounds like a bunch of crybabies along with their parents..
Math
My daughter had him for math last year - she didn't care for him too much. Some of the things she told me, I didn't care for him too much. But in all fairness, I never voiced my opinion to him. Best of luck to him.
BUCH OF CRY BABIES
BIG DEAL,THEY ARE BOYS ON A HIGH SCHOOL TEAM.THEY USE THE SAME WORDS WITH THERE FRIENDS ,YOU GUYS JUST NEEDED SOMETHING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT,ITS NOT LIKE THE FOOTBALL FIELD IS A CHURCH...
Correction...
Buch = Bunch
coach
Anyone reading this article knows a football coach does not get investigated and suspended for 10 days for " using foal language on occasion" come on- everyone in Crystal River knows there is WAY more to the story than that! He says " the kids like me as a coach, just don't like me as a person" who says that!? A coach is supposed to be one of the most important people in your life. He says in the other article that anyone who has watched this program over the past 10 years knows which direction it is headed? Ya, for the worse! Just about 4 years ago the Pirates won a district championship and
had playoff games at home! He hasn't won anything but a suspension!