I want to apologize to the community of Westbrook for being such a coward when resigning as the Westbrook High School athletic director a year ago. I am a coward for failing to communicate the issues of why I truly decided to leave the position I so much desired.

I learned quickly at Westbrook High that I would need to compromise my beliefs and values if I were to survive as the Westbrook High School athletic director. Please know that I believe if you are in a position to simply survive, that you are definitely in the wrong position.

I learned quickly that I would need to look the other way instead of facing the most difficult and challenging of issues that all high school athletic directors face when providing young men and women the best quality high school athletic experience possible. You see, sometimes we need to say “no” to one for the betterment of the entire program.

I learned quickly that I would (for the first time in my career as an athletic director) not be able to provide the support to my coaches that they so much deserved when dealing with the challenging issues that arise in high school athletics today. When coaches and athletic directors are not supported by their administration to make decisions for the betterment of the athletic program, then one of two things, in my opinion, should occur. The administration should replace the coaches and the athletic director because they cannot be trusted to make these decisions. Or the administration should be questioned for failing to empower their employees to do the jobs they were hired to do.

I love Westbrook. I love the student body at Westbrook High School. I want to see the coaches and athletes in Westbrook provided with nothing but the best because they deserve the best. This goes much deeper than just the fields and facilities they compete on and in. We, the taxpayers, have stepped up and provided this. The coaches and athletes deserve a school administration that’s willing to stand beside them through the toughest of times. Coach Vowell could have used this kind of support.

I challenge each of the members of the administration in Westbrook to take a hard inner look at themselves and realize: It’s not about you. It’s about the kids and employees that you are hired to serve. Focus on them; they deserve it.

Again, I apologize to a great community for being such a coward. That’s not the kind of person I want to be.

Gary Groves

Westbrook

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