[jammin' jamey]

I agree completely! but the promblem starts with the administration at AC, not Col. Maynard (He's just a pupet of the administration --- a "Yes Man" sort of speak) and as long as the powers that be continue to look the other way the administration at AC will continue to smack down, and mistreat anyone who defies them in anyway. Col. Maynard is just taking advantage of the current situation! Your giving him way too much credit, without this current administration Col. Maynard would be a little fish in a big pond. He's not responsible!

Look for example at what happen to Ronnie Patton. He won the first ever 15th regional baseball title and was fired 8 days later becasue of a parent complaint. At least that was the official excuse he was given. Oh, by the way he was replaced by the husband of a SBMD member.

The administration has done everything they could do to run off Johnny Martin. Who is one of the most successful basketball coaches in 15th region history. They fired him as AD, Track coach, and department chair, in an attempt to get rid of him.

Now the administration has basically held a coaching job for M. Martin the last two or three years even though it is a fact that he was dismissed from teaching by not having the proper certification. What kind of a message does that send about the administartion. Well I'll tell you "They could care less how qualified you are, how good of a coach you are, how hard you work, or anything else as long as your in the click" UMMMM --- wonder who the next boys coach will be when they finally run Johnny Martin off?

These things will continue to happen at AC as long as the powers that be let them happen! Hopefully, with a new superintentent soon, whoever that may be, they will make the administration at AC justify their decisions and hold them responsible for the way they treat the people who have dedicated so much of their time and energy to the school and community. Hopefully, they will also ensure people are treated fairly at AC.

This situation with Coach Mark Martin and AC is nothing like the Ronnie Patton/Johnny Martin issues of the past. As noted by another poster in this thread, Coach Patton was let go simply because he wouldn't do what he told by the principal - and that was to dismiss his son from the coaching staff. Parent(s) complained about Coach Patton's son and his attitude towards and the players. If he had simply followed orders, he may still be in that position today. I think the firing was justified. Just because you field a winning team doesn't put you above the powers that make sound decisions for students. Yes, there was a plot by Craig Kidd and others to give Kidd the coaching position, but like most attempts at things like that, people's true colors show through and he was later dismissed for VERY valid reasons.

As for Johnny, he justified why he should stay as head coach with last season's team. He'll tell you that he neglected his position in previous seasons and righted the ship last year and has placed some key building blocks in place to keep the boys team winning on the hardwood. His job is not in danger - period.

Here's the story behind AC Girls coaching changes:
Coach Hopkins resigned from the position she was given a few months ago, after leaving a brutal schedule in place for Col. Maynard and the next coach to deal with I might add. The team is very young in key positions and don't need to be playing teams like Lawrence Co, Johnson Central or making tournament trips to West Carter or Louisville.

Mark Martin was "let go" from his coaching/teaching position because he wasn't certified in his field. He was given time to complete the certification while teaching and was unable to complete it. He doesn't hide that fact and will be straightforward with anyone who inquirers about it.

Throughout the summer, Coach Martin and his assistants have volunteered their time to run summer camp for the girls. He has also completed his certification, so there should be no questions about his certification. Col. Maynard was listed as the head coach only in the interim sense until Mark completed his certification. Now that's complete and old news. The girls coaching job was "never held" for Mark. You are forgetting one key ingredient here: Coach Hopkins RESIGNED - she wasn't let go. And I don't know too many coaches willing to sacrifice their time to coach a young team that will need to work very hard to field a competive ballclub on the court - do you?