FRUSTRATED PHIL STRICKLAND WALKS AWAY

"I'm tired of beating my head against the wall." This is what Former Gaffney High Head Coach Phil Strickland said on Tuesday following his resignation from his job as Athletic Director and Head Coach of the Gaffney High School Indians. Coach Strickland also said, "This job here in Gaffney should be the best high school job in South Carolina, and in some ways, it is. I love the people here, the kids, the fans, but things could be a lot, lot better in other areas." Coach Strickland would not throw stones or talk specifics when he said these things, because he is to classy for that, but we all know what a lot of the problems are, Don't we? As it has been well documented that Strickland and certain members of the Cherokee County School Board have not seen eye-to-eye the past few years, especially since the construction of the new Reservation football stadium. The truth is that, Coach Phil Strickland has been on the School Boards "Hit List" ever since the controversy over the new GHS stadium a few years ago. Some of the School Board members did not like it when Coach Strickland and his wife Debbie, stood up at a public school board meeting and spoke against the board's excuses and repeated delays that eventually resulted in a lesser stadium that wound up costing more money. It is obvious who screwed up that decision, ISN'T IT? The School Board members can probably still hear the loud chorus of "BOO'S" that they received from the Gaffney fans following the State Championship game in Columbia when they were introduced. There has also been at least two of the School Board members conducting a campaign against Phil Strickland for not re-designating the reserved seating assignments at the new stadium, reportedly because a handful of their friends wanted "better" seats. As for Phil Strickland, there has been numerous bumps along his path over the past few years. For the most part, he has kept his mouth shut and negotiated his way around them. On Tuesday, however, he had had enough. Phil Strickland had intended to stay in Gaffney, as he had already signed his contract for next year. Phil Strickland is a very good football coach, a good person and a class act that cares about his players, coaches and the fans of Gaffney High School. PHIL STRICKLAND DID NOT DESERVE TO BE TREATED THIS WAY! That is more than we can say about the majority of the Cherokee County School Board. The board cares only about themselves and the politics, not the kids and their teachers. If anyone should be leaving it should be the School Board not a great man and coach like Phil Strickland. As parents and fans of Gaffney High School, lets do something about this School Board. Lets go to the polls and vote these people out of office!!!

Until Next Time.