JACKSON, Mich. — Parents in the Columbia School District say they are getting fed up with behavior from its varsity basketball coach Troy Stewart and they’re calling on the district to do something about it.
Jamie Johnson has been in the district for 10 years and has two children still attending Columbia Schools and is thinking about pulling her kids out of the Columbia schools.
“I’ve never had any issues until Troy Stewart,” she said. “I just don’t want him to be able to do this to anymore kids. It’s almost like mental abuse. He plays mental games with them. He belittles them. He’s mean. And it’s basically on who your parent is. If he doesn’t like your parent, he doesn’t like you. You’re not going to play.”
Concerned parents sent a letter to Superintendent Pamela Campbell at the end of January saying Stewart’s behavior has created a toxic environment.
“Kids that play year round are now dreading practices and games because they know their fate when it comes to game time. These kids that used to be filled with so much confidence now hang their heads low with shame. He tells the boys they’re ‘replaceable’ and speak of ‘whiny parents in the stands.’ This is unacceptable, unprofessional and this is considered bullying. Some of these kids want to quit or even change school districts to not have him coach them again,” the letter said.
Johnson said the letter was sent anonymously in an attempt to avoid retaliation from Stewart. But, parents say the only response they got was a Spectator Code of Conduct sent to them by the athletic director. Johnson said to her that meant they were blown off.
Columbia Central athletic spectator code of conduct directs concerned individuals to meet with the coach, staff person, or teacher (if a coach), then the AD, then the principal and then the superintendent.
Two documented incidents involve Stewart’s son who is a starter on the team. In one incident, Stewart was seen aggressively throwing a basketball at his son’s back. Assistant coaches witnessed it and tried to de-escalate.
“It’s embarrassing. That’s what takes over their whole practice,” Johnson said. “It’s so toxic. They don’t learn a thing because they’re just sitting there arguing the whole time. Nobody will report it. Just because it’s his kid does not mean you look the other way and I think that’s what Troy’s mentality is now is that people have looked the other way for so long he can do it and it’s fine. It’s not fine.”
In another incident he was seen shoving his son towards the locker room after he received a technical foul in a game.
“I was there,” Johnson said. “My family was there. I had friends there from Concord and they all sat on my side. There was a coach sitting next to me that has been a coach for 15 years and she was disgusted. She said, ‘that is literally cancer on that floor.’”
Parents allege Stewart complains about “whiny parents in the stands” to kids in practice as an act of intimidation and threatens to kick parents out for several games afterwards.
“There’s other parents who have called me and said, ‘I’m with you 110 percent but I just can’t risk my son not playing,” Johnson said. “Literally, I think every single parent on this team feels the same way. They’re just afraid to speak up about it.”
Her son Brendan Neitzke played under Stewart this season. During their match up against Concord, out of the first 19 points they scored, he scored 10 of them.
“He got sat because he was doing too good,” she said. “He doesn’t want anyone to outshine [his son] Ethan.”
Neitzke has generated interest from NAIA schools Keiser University and Indiana Wesleyan, with both schools asking Neitzke to attend a basketball recruiting showcase.
“He was a three sport kid up until high school and he’s never one time ever had a complaint or had a coach complain about him. These are all really good kids. It’s just sad to see them lose that passion for their sport that they love.”
In one alleged incident players told parents that Stewart asked four senior players to take a vote on whether one of their teammates should be kicked off the team.
Johnson said she and other parents have been in communication with the superintendent about previous incidents.
“The rules never apply to Troy,” Johnson said.
“We’ve been reporting this guy for four years,” she said. “It’s like, what does he have to do to be fired? They just hang their heads low. They don’t want to play anymore. My son’s one of them. He plays all year round and he didn’t even want to play anymore. It was just hard. Being a mom and watching your son just not enjoying the one that he had as an outlet was taken away from him.”
In a written statement, Superintendent Campbell said, “Columbia School District is currently investigating concerns brought forward by some of the parents of varsity basketball players.”
There has been no further word on when that investigation will be complete.
Athletic Director Josh Kubiak said the athletic department has taken the situation seriously and is investigating all allegations.
In an e-mail Troy Stewart said he has no comment at this time but that he loves all of his players.
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