Garner coach apologizes for unsportsmanlike conduct after 49-0 loss against rival
Garner High School’s head football coach issued an apology Tuesday for refusing to shake hands with a rival team after a 49-0 loss over the weekend.
“I would like to publicly apologize to the players, coaches, parents and fans of the Garner High School and Clayton High School football teams for my poor choices on Friday evening,” read a statement from Coach Thurman Leach emailed to Garner High parents.
“My decision to not shake hands after the game was made in the heat of the moment,” the statement continued. “While I felt justified at the time, cooler heads have shown that it was a poor decision.“
Some parents confronted the coach after the game and expressed disappointment on social media after Leach told his players not to participate in the traditional post game handshake after the Friday night game.
“As a parent, I have never been so disappointed in the lack of leadership, bad character, terrible sportsmanship than I have seen tonight during the football game with the head football coach,” wrote parent Tasha Simpson, whose son plays on the Trojan team, in a Garner High Facebook group.
The News & Observer sought comment from Wake County Public Schools System spokesperson Michael Yarbrough over the weekend and on Tuesday. He didn’t return telephone messages or respond to an email.
On Saturday, Leach told The News & Observer that he felt like the Clayton Coach Scott Chadwick was trying to embarrass Trojan players by running up the score, which Chadwick denied.
In the Tuesday email, Leach wrote he regrets his actions detracted from the game that Clayton played and the sportsmanship from players on both teams.
“It is my hope that this mistake will make me a better coach who will lead our student-athletes with integrity and honor at all time,” the email states.
Leach hopes the situation will evolve into a learning opportunity about the importance of sportsmanship and admitting when you are wrong, the email says.
“It has been a tough season, but our student-athletes have continued to play with determination and pride,” he wrote. “I deeply regret that my actions tarnished their reputations and that of this football program.”
This story was originally published September 27, 2022 at 3:24 PM.
